The entry and exit at Visakhapatnam Railway Station has been revised from Wednesday (April 14) in view of increasing number of COVID-19 cases. The objective of the move is to avoid overcrowding on railway platforms and to contain the spread of the pandemic.
All passengers going to board the trains have to report at Gnanapuram entry (platform no.8 side) at Gate no.4. And after thermal scanning, they were permitted into the station. Vehicles coming to drop passengers should enter through the arch at Gnanapuram-end and exit through the arch at Convent Junction-end.
PF no.1 is only for exit (the passengers arriving in Visakhapatnam will be sent through PF no.1) from Gate no.1. The vehicles coming to pickup the passengers will have to do so at the exit arch near RTC bus stop.
Vendors hit
On Wednesday morning, PF-1 wore a deserted look with only a few passengers on the benches. The vendors operating various parlours and food joints were seen soliciting customers. A parlour organiser says, “This has been the situation for the past two weeks with most of the trains being taken on PF-3, PF-4 and PF-5. Passengers, especially women and senior citizens are facing difficulties in going up and down the Foot-Over-Bridge (FOB) with their luggage. The escalators are not working most of the time and with only travelling passengers allowed into the station, it is becoming all the more difficult for them.”
“The average income for our stall, which is around ₹5,000 a day has dropped to ₹1,200 yesterday and now with PF-1 being used only for exit of passengers, we may have to close the shop,” he said.
Similarly, the entry and exit points at all the stations over the division have been earmarked and passengers should strictly adhere to the norms. The passengers have to carry their own food and linen during the journey as there would be no supply of blankets, according to Senior Divisional Commercial Manager A.K. Tripathi.
