The city will have two station complexes with Marripalem station being developed as a full-fledged station by 2021, if things fall in place as planned.
As of now, the city has only one major station handling around 52 pairs of trains, including 41 pairs originating and terminating, at the station. Five more weekly trains are bypassed through Duvvada, without touching the city railway station.
“A detailed project report (DPR) has been sent to the Railway Board to develop the Marripalem station into a station complex at a cost of ₹76 crore. It is likely to be approved by the next year and we shall have the station ready for operation by 2021,” Waltair Division DRM Chetan Kumar Srivastava told The Hindu .
Once Marripalem is developed, many trains originating and terminating at the Visakhapatnam station will be diverted to Marripalem and all the trains that are now being bypassed through Duvvada could also be extended to Visakhapatnam.
“Every budding city has two or more station complexes. If the capacity of train traffic has to grow, then more station complexes need to be developed,” opined the DRM.
Earlier, the East Coast Railway had urged Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) to extend some land to construct a bulb line, so that trains can touch Duvvada and return to Vizag so that there would be no engine reversal.
Alternative strategy
“The port is yet to give the land. We have to think of an alternative strategy. This seems viable over expanding the number of platforms at the Visakhapatnam station. This will also reduce the waiting time of trains in the outer periphery,” explained Mr. Srivastava.
Land for zonal headquarters
Mr. Srivastava also said that talks were on with the GVMC for allotting land to build the office for the newly-formed South Coast Railway Zone. “The railways has already given some land to the GVMC in the past and as per the agreement, some alternative land is to be given to us,” said the DRM.
About 52 acres of land has been shown in Mudasarlova area and if the proposal is accepted then the zone headquarters office will come up there, along with a staff quarter complex, he said.
“This city is growing and we plan to build an iconic building that will enhance the brand image of the city. For the time being, there is a proposal to begin operation from our existing buildings,” added Mr. Srivastava.
