Visakhapatnam: Passengers fume at avoidable train halts delays

Visakhapatnam: The delay in arrival of some trains in Vizag due to inordinately lengthy halts at Duvvada station continuous to draw criticism of passengers. Some passengers have been taking to Twitter and other grievance redressal forums of the railways, complaining about the late arrival of trains. New tracks and platforms have become necessary now to ensure that trains reach Vizag station on time. It is observed that trains are reaching Duvvada on time but inordinate halting at the signal there is causing the delay.

A survey has been sanctioned to study the demand for a third line from Visakhapatnam to Gopalapatnam to sort out the congestion issues. A bulb line seems to be the only the solution of the delay issues, according to some. To resolve the delay issues, top officials from the East Coast Railway (ECoR) also recently met Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu apprising him about the need of a bulb line near the city railway station. The Visakhapatnam Port Trust has to spare some lands for the construction of a ‘bulb line’.

The bulb line will help the engines reverse without changing the direction of the train, and hence reducing halting time. The bulb line will connect the main line at Gopalapatnam, which would reduce the time required for reversal of trains at the station. It takes about 20 minutes for the engine to reverse at Visakhapatnam at present. Some passengers have been taking to Twitter and other grievance redressal forum of the railways complaining about the late arrival of trains in Vizag. The proposed elevated corridor would be of 4 km length and costs around Rs 300 crore.