KURNOOL: Travellers between Kurnool and Vijayawada are facing difficulties due to the absence of a direct train service.
At present, passengers first travel to either Nandyal or Dhone by bus to catch a train. Some train services do exist, but they are mostly limited to long-distance routes, making it difficult for passengers to secure seats on them.
There is no direct daily train service connecting Vijayawada and Kurnool. Local public representatives have not been applying pressure on the railway authorities to set things right. Notably, many canceled train services have been restored.
For instance, a special tri-weekly train from Kurnool to Machilipatnam was cancelled a year ago. Despite the growing demand from the public, it has not been restored.
The train service that previously operated from Machilipatnam to Kurnool has been extended only to Mantralayam, leading to demands for daily service that have gone unfulfilled.
The situation was further complicated by the plight of devotees and other passengers from the Rayalaseema region visiting Shirdi. Currently, there is a train from Guntur to Aurangabad via Kurnool. Locals suggest that if the service is run from Vijayawada up to Nagarsol, it would benefit those bound for Shirdi.
Officials say a pit line plays a crucial role in expanding the train services. This refers to any line in a station excluding the mainline that does not have a platform attached.
These lines are typically used for marshalling trains or stabling rakes at terminating or originating trains. Kurnool currently lacks a pit line, which is vital for the basic maintenance and performance testing of trains.
As it stands, the nearest pit line is in Tirupati, accessible only after crossing Kacheguda, significantly hampering the train operations in Kurnool.
Proposals for setting up a pit line in Kurnool fell on deaf ears. There is a proposal to run a train from Kurnool to Mumbai. Minister TG Bharat recently appealed to the Railways for improved connectivity.
“We demand that there should be at least one daily train service from Kurnool to Vijayawada and at least two services from Kurnool to Mumbai each week. There is also a pressing need to enhance train connectivity between Nandyal and Kurnool to better serve the community's needs,” said K Rangappa, a trader from C-Camp area.
