A solution in sight to end train detention woes at Visakhapatnam Junction

After dodging available solutions to the decades-long problem of detention of trains, arriving and leaving Visakhapatnam Junction, the railways have now come up with a ‘solution’, if it can be called one. The railways have proposed a new 35 km long bypass line between Kottavalasa and Anakapalle.

“The bypass line is proposed to be taken up at an estimated cost of ₹2,886.74 crore. The final location survey, sanctioned in December 2023, was completed and a detailed project report (DPR) was submitted to the Railway Board,” according to information obtained by Kanchumurti Eswar of Duvvada, under the RTI Act.

Three new crossing stations — Mogalipura, Jagannadhapuram and Koduru — have been proposed. In addition to this, a freight and coaching examination yard at Jagannadhapuram, 15 freight examination lines, 15 coaching examination lines will also be developed as part of the project, which requires 563 hectares of land.

Visakhapatnam Railway Station is a terminus like Chennai and Howrah (Kolkata) and the locomotives have to be reversed and attached at the other end of the rake (train) to proceed on their onward journey. It may be recalled that a ‘bulb line’ from Visakhapatnam junction and back to the station via Visakhapatnam Port was proposed over a decade ago to prevent the need for engine reversal for through trains arriving and leaving the city.

At that time the cost of construction of the bulb line was estimated at ₹100 crore. After dodging the matter for a few years, the railways had approached the then Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, post bifurcation of A.P., seeking the State’s participation in the ‘bulb line’ project. The project cost has gone up by three times by then, and there was no favourable response from the State government.

The ECoR authorities had subsequently maintained that there was no need for a bulb line as the 20-minute stoppage, at Visakhapatnam for locomotive reversal, was being effectively utilised to provide for watering and other services, which were not available at smaller stations like Anakapalle, Duvvada and Vizianagaram for long distance trains, bypassing Visakhapatnam junction.

Thousands of tourists from West Bengal as also from other States come to Visakhapatnam every year to chill out on the beaches, natural forest reserves, hill stations and water falls in and around the city.

“No major capacity expansion works have been taken up in Visakhapatnam region for several decades. This project will reduce congestion and pave the way for introduction of new trains from Visakhapatnam to various destinations, once the South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone becomes operational,” says a railway source.