Visakhapatnam: The ongoing trend of frequent train cancellations, particularly affecting high-occupancy routes originating or terminating at Visakhapatnam Junction, is causing significant inconvenience and financial loss to passengers, especially students and daily wage workers.

Rail activists are questioning why economically disadvantaged travelers are bearing the brunt when premium and goods trains continue to operate without disruption.

Key routes such as Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad, Visakhapatnam-Tirupati, and Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada—critical for many commuters—have been subject to repeated cancellations. These routes traverse multiple rail divisions and zones, amplifying the disruption for travelers.

Railway sources explain that "traffic blocks" are imposed by different railway zones to facilitate safety and development works.

These blocks are typically scheduled during off-peak hours for up to three hours a day, with "mega blocks" extending for six hours during major projects, such as the installation of Limited Height Subways.

Efforts like "single line working" are sometimes implemented to minimize train cancellations by utilizing one track for both directions when possible.

Recent cancellations include the popular Visakhapatnam-Kadapa Tirumala Express, which is halted from August 5 to 10 in one direction and from August 6 to 11 in the return direction. Other trains like the Uday Express, Simhadri Express, and Machilipatnam Express have also faced intermittent cancellations over the past 10 months.

Katam Chandra Rao, Honorary President of the Duvvada Railway Users’ Association (DRUA), suggests that short-distance trains to Machilipatnam, Vijayawada, and Guntur could be extended to Rajahmundry, Nidadavole, or Samalkot to better serve daily commuters and students in Visakhapatnam.

Many of these passengers are Monthly Season Ticket (MST) holders, highlighting their reliance on consistent train services.

Students traveling to engineering colleges near Duvvada and other higher education institutions in Visakhapatnam are particularly affected by these disruptions, struggling with the frequent cancellations.

According to data obtained by Kanchumurthi Eswar, Secretary of DRUA, the South Central Railway (SCR) has incurred a loss of ₹70.77 crore from train cancellations between April 2023 and March 2024, with an additional ₹24.87 crore lost due to cancellations and diversions from January 1 to June 30, 2024.

Eswar questions the disparity: “When premium trains like Vande Bharat and Duronto, which charge higher fares, and goods trains continue to run without cancellation, why should economically vulnerable passengers, such as daily wage earners and students, who book their tickets in advance, be disproportionately affected?”

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