Waltair division of the East of Coast Railway once again registered a new record in increasing the freight loading, freight earnings, passengers carried, and passenger earnings during the 2021-22 financial year. 

Interacting with the media persons here today, Divisional Railway Manager Shri Anup Satpathy lauded the employees for their dedicated teamwork and relentless commitment to surpassing the expected target in revenue generation.

All this and more were achieved despite overwhelming hardships like Natural calamities, strikes, Naxal attacks, etc over the Division, particularly the frequent and regular Maoist activities in the crucial freight corridors of the KK line during the peak period of this financial year. Indeed, being the Waltair division played a major role in contributing a major share to East Coast Railway. 

The Division achieved freight loading of 66.88 million tons in the 2021-22 financial year whereas it has transported 61.18 million tons in the last financial year, which posted a 9.33% growth. This fetched the Division to earn from loading in the 2021-22 to the tune of Rs 7972.10 crores against Rs 7272.86 crores in the last financial year which is again 8.74% more than last financial year.

On the passenger front, the Division ferried 12.41 million passengers in this financial year which fetched Rs 415.27 crores which is 198% more than the last financial year's earnings that pegged Rs 139.30 crores. The super cyclones in various parts of the Division and in different parts of the country disrupted the traffic that lead to a decrease in passenger traffic as well as freight traffic. The pandemic third wave in the first quarter of the financial also affected the traffic.

The Division’s consistent performance has also shared contribution in achieving the East Coast Railway (ECoR) to set a new record during the 2021-22 financial year by loading 232 million tonnes of freight from its jurisdiction which is the highest ever freight loading by any zone in Indian Railways. 

Apart from the loading and passenger movement, the Division set many firsts in its innovative concepts focusing improvement of passenger amenities with world-class concepts and generating revenue through a non-fare revenue system. The non-fare revenue contributed an amount of Rs 3.25 crores against the target of Rs 2.86 crores.

Further, the division has concentrated on ticket-checking activities to check ticketless travelers. Intensive  Ticket checking drives were organized in the financial year 2021-22 that resulted in finding out 2,60,850 cases of ticketless travel, un-booked luggage, irregular tickets, etc leading to the realization of Rs 16.02 crores as fare and penalty.

On the passenger amenities, three additional Vistadome coaches with upgraded LHB rakes were being added to the Visakhapatnam-Kiranndul-Visakhapatnam train. Other amenities like prepaid AC Waiting lounges, equipped with world-class comfortable couch cushion sofas, television sets for entertainment, Wi-fi facility, separate restrooms for gents and ladies, baby feed room, etc are being provided to the passengers. 

Apart from the amenities,  Visakhapatnam is the first station on the East Coast Railway to implement the “One Station One Product” concept to make each railway station a promotions hub and showcase destination for a local product, thereby giving a major boost to local industries. Towards achieving this concept, Etikoppaka Lacquer and Wooden toys stalls are set up on PF No. 1 & 8. 

On the security front, the RPF department rescued 123 minor children, provided medical assistance to 40 people, and retrieved more than 409 passenger luggage worth Rs. 42.9 lakhs over Waltair division. 

Expressing his sincere gratitude to all the stakeholders, DRM Anup Satpathy staunchly said that “it would not have been possible without the help and cooperation of the collieries, ports, steel plants, cement, Alumina plants, petroleum companies, and Food Corporation of India that boosted our spirits to reach this achievement”.