Trains resume by noon at Visakhapatnam railway station

Visakhapatnam comes under security blanket in view of Agnipath protests

Police set up barbed wire near Visakhapatnam Railway Station on Saturday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU

The Visakhapatnam Railway Station remained closed for passengers from 7 a.m. till about noon on Saturday. The normal running of trains commenced from 12.50 p.m., according to official sources from East Coast Railways.

The decision was taken in view of intelligence inputs of the likelihood of destruction of railway property as part of the Agnipath agitation.

A girl sitting on trolley bag as her family members return from Visakhapatnam railway station after trains cancelled during morning hours on Saturday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU

Keeping the threat perception in view, the station has been literally taken over by the security forces comprising men from the City Police, Armed Reserve, CRPF, Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF).

Police personnel detaining protesters at Visakhapatnam railway station on Saturday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU

The roads leading to the station were barricaded and razor wires were installed at the entry and exit points.

Several passengers, who went to the railway station to board the trains that were scheduled for the early hours, as they had no information on the closure of the station, squatted on the pavement outside the station with their luggage and called their friends and relatives on their mobile phones.

The police diverted motor vehicles, including RTC buses and auto rickshaws, without allowing them anywhere near the station.

Passengers outside the Visakhapatnam railway station as trains cancelled during morning hours on Saturday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU

According to the officials from East Coast Railways, about eight originating trains were cancelled, about 13 trains were diverted, five pairs of trains were cancelled and 12 trains were short-terminated.

Trains scheduled to arrive in Visakhapatnam Junction, were short-terminated at Anakapalli, Duvvada and Kottavalasa stations.

The railway authorities said that based on their request APSRTC authorities had arranged special buses from Anakapalli, Duvvada and Kottavalasa for the transportation of stranded passengers to their destinations.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel deployed at Visakhapatnam railway station on Saturday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU

Post violence at Secunderabad railway station, with a number of trains diverted, cancelled and short-terminated in Visakhapatnam, confusion prevailed among the rail passengers. Those who had already planned to go to various destinations including Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, especially to attend marriages, IT offices and other works had to opt for other modes of transportation.

Kadambala Harish, from Akkayyapalem area of the city, who works in an IT firm in Hyderabad, and his four colleagues who was to leave for Hyderabad on Friday night had cancelled the train booking and had booked a car to reach their destination.

The city was brought under a security blanket after the agitation at Secunderabad railway station. Apart from railway station and RTC Complex at Dwaraka Nagar, police teams were posted at Andhra University and political party offices.

At Andhra University, police were seen checking the IDs to allow only authorised people into the campus. A number of student leaders were detained at their homes or at police stations. Policemen were also deployed at all vulnerable points and vehicle checks were conducted.