With the formation of the new zone – South Coast Railway – a number of issues come to the fore and with Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi in town on Thursday, rail users feel that they need urgent attention.
The construction of the third line to Gopalapatnam, for which the survey is already completed, early completion of the sixth pit line works, which are said to be progressing at a snail’s pace at coaching complex, and construction of additional platforms, at Visakhapatnam Railway Station, for which a preliminary survey done about a decade ago, are some of the works, which need urgent attention of the Railway Minister. With eight platforms, Visakhapatnam Junction, an A 1 grade station, is taking the load of about 110 coaching trains, including 96 Mail/Express trains, and over 78,000 passengers a day. There is ample land available on the Gnanpuram-side of Visakhapatnam railway station, and four new platforms can be constructed. The old dilapidated railway quarters, which are said to be over 50 years old, can be demolished, if required.
The old ‘Town Station’, located in the Old Town, can be revived and a few trains can originate from there. In spite of the tremendous demand for new originating trains, the people of Visakhapatnam region are being denied the same on the plea of ‘operational constraints’, traffic congestion and inadequate coaching facilities for maintenance of rakes. The Visakhapatnam-Allahabad express, which was sanctioned by the Railway Board a couple of years ago, has not been commenced till date, on the plea of ‘rake shortage’, train No. 06579/80 Yesvantapur-Visakhapatnam-Yesvantapur Weekly Special, which was operated by South Western Railway (SWR) for a few years, and had overwhelming patronage was withdrawn and despite an assurance by the Railway Minister in Parliament that it would be restarted, it was not done so far. The construction of the third line, adding of platforms and augmenting coaching facilities can go a long way in easing the congestion at Visakhapatnam Junction and provide a solution to the bypassing of through trains via Duvvada and Vizianagaram.
Second glass coach
The first Vistadome (glass coach) was given to the Visakhapatnam – Kirandul passenger for the benefit of tourists going to Araku in April, 2017. A second glass coach was promised and it was supposed to have arrived the same month but after nearly two-and-a-half years, it is yet to arrive.
