Visakhapatnam Railway Station remained shut down for passengers till noon on Saturday. The decision was taken in view of intelligence inputs of the likelihood of destruction of railway property as part of the Agnipath agitation.
Though it was said that passengers would be allowed into the station by noon, it did not happen. The reopening of the station is likely to take a few more hours. The authorities have, however, announced that 12727 Visakhapatnam-Hyderabad Godavari Express will start at its scheduled time at 5.20 p.m. on Satuday.
Police personnel, including the civil, Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) have been deployed at the station.
Several passengers, who went to the railway station, were left stranded on the pavement outside the station with their luggage. The police diverted motor vehicles, including RTC buses and autorickshaws, without allowing them anywhere near the station.
As many as 16 trains that were either coming into Visakhapatnam Junction or scheduled to originate or pass through Visakhapatnam have been cancelled. In all, 13 trains will run on diverted routes. Trains scheduled to arrive in Visakhapatnam Junction, have been short-terminated at Anakapalli, Duvvada and Kothavalasa stations.
The railway authorities are said to have appealed to the RTC authorities for arranging special buses from Anakapalli, Duvvada and Kothavalasa for the transportation of stranded passengers to their destinations.
“Many passengers, who alighted at Duvvada Railway Station in the morning with their luggage had to carry their luggage with great difficulty due to the lack of lifts and escalators at Duvvada.
“However, the authorities concerned arranged RTC buses and a number of buses were available to the city and to Vizianagaram from Duvvada station and the passengers were happy with the arrangement,” Duvvada Railway Users Association secretary K. Eswar, who was at the Railway Station from the morning, told this correspondent.
