Despite the pandemic situation, Waltair Division had transported 2.89 million passengers and generated passenger revenue of ₹112.67 crore between April and August this year (2021-22 fiscal), registering good growth, as compared to the first five months of the previous financial year.
The Division had achieved the best-ever freight loading during April to August this year. The originating goods loading of 26.71 million tonnes during the first five months of the 2021-22 fiscal, compared to 19.89 MT during the same period last year, registered an increase of 34.29%.
Goods revenue increased to ₹3,090 crore, from ₹2,316.70 crore during the same period last year. Waltair Division recorded a total revenue of ₹3,244.55 crore in the first five months of this year, as against ₹2,380.86 crore the same period last year, registering an increase of 36.27%. The Division operated 30 Kisan rakes, transporting 10,179 tons of mangoes, earning ₹4.6 crore revenue in the first three months of the present fiscal.
Waltair Division, headquartered in Visakhapatnam, is spread over 1,106 km, extending over Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts in Andhra Pradesh, apart from parts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh States. It has a total staff strength of 17,677, including 126 gazetted officers.
Things seem to be moving in the right direction for Waltair Division, ever since Anup Satpathy took over as Divisional Railway Manager, earlier this year. The initiatives taken by him include provision of two new Vistadome (glass) coaches for the Visakhapatnam – Kirandul passenger, popularly known as Araku passenger, introduction of LHB coaches for many important trains and augmentation of coaches to high-demand originating trains from Visakhapatnam, during the festival season.
The LHB coaches, based on German technology, offer better riding comfort, are lighter in weight, have higher speed potential and have a higher carrying capacity. Rail users have taken to Twitter to hail the new DRM for his proactive measures. The addition of new Vistadome coaches is a big boost to tourism in Visakhapatnam, which is planned to be developed as the ‘executive capital’ of Andhra Pradesh by the State government.
Pending proposals
Construction of a third line from Visakhapatnam to Gopalapatnam, for which a survey was completed long ago, building additional platforms on the Gnanpuram side of the Visakhapatnam railway station, introduction of new originating trains to Bengaluru, Varanasi and Kolkata and rerouting of long-distance trains, which are presently diverted through Duvvada, via Visakhapatnam junction, are some of the major pending issues.
