Ahead of Sankranti, Dwaraka bus complex, railway station crowded
Passengers thronging railway station in Visakhapatnam
- Despite APSRTC operating special bus services for the festival season, the load on rail transport did not reduce
- Even reserved coaches in a fleet of trains virtually turned into general compartments as passengers packed themselves inside the coaches
Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam witnessed an unprecedented surge of passengers on the occasion of Sankranti as scores from various districts and neighbouring states trickled into the City of Destiny to celebrate ‘Pedda Panduga’.
For the past few days, the massive festive turnout resulted in heavy congestion at Visakhapatnam railway station and Dwaraka bus complex, turning the entire area into a sea of travellers.
Despite APSRTC operating special bus services for the festival season, the load on rail transport did not reduce.
Keeping the festival rush in view, APSRTC facilitated 1,600 buses to various destinations. “So far, we have operated 800 buses to different destinations across North Andhra. The number of passengers moving to villages from Visakhapatnam city is high, especially during Sankranti. To meet this growing demand, extra buses have been pressed into service,” shared A Appala Raju, Regional Manager for APSRTC, Visakhapatnam, with The Hans India.
Even reserved coaches in a fleet of trains virtually turned into general compartments as passengers packed themselves inside the coaches.
Express, Superfast, Vande Bharat, Intercity Express and passenger trains operated with packed coaches. Most bogies were filled beyond capacities, accommodating not only passengers with confirmed tickets but also those travelling on general ticket as they are eager to reach their hometowns in time for the harvest festival.
Among other trains, Ratnachal Express tops the demand list. Heavy rush was witnessed for the Ratnachal Express (12717) operating between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. Passengers bound for Annavaram, Samarlakota, Anaparthi, Rajahmundry, Nidadavolu, Tadepalligudem, Eluru, Nuzvidu and Vijayawada thronged the train in large numbers. Although special trains were introduced to meet the festival demand, they proved to be grossly insufficient.
Anticipating the rush, the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) remained on high alert and implemented special crowd-control measures. Passengers were systematically lined up near general coaches and boarding was allowed only after the arrival of the Ratnachal Express from Vijayawada. This disciplined approach ensured that travellers who reached the station nearly two hours before were able to secure seats.
Meanwhile, reservation coaches on several outgoing trains from Visakhapatnam—including Godavari, Mahabubnagar Express, LTT, Janmabhoomi, Simhadri, Machilipatnam, Konark and Falaknuma were tightly packed like general compartments. Trains heading towards Howrah and Guwahati via Visakhapatnam also saw exceptionally high occupancy.
With all berths filled and stations bustling round the clock, the Sankranti travel rush highlighted both cultural significance of the festival and the magnitude of seasonal flow of passengers.
