Development of railway infra in west segment brought to fore

Visakhapatnam: Highlighting concerns related to railway infrastructure, Government Whip and Visakhapatnam west MLA PGVR Naidu (Ganababu) brought several issues of the constituency to the fore, meeting Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Waltair Division Lalit Bohra in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. As part of the meet, the MLA underlined the need to improve railway infrastructure and address public grievances.

Development of Simhachalam railway station, request for additional entrances and booking counters on both sides of the station to improve accessibility, expansion of parking facilities at the station, road widening work from Baji junction to Simhachalam north railway station, among others, formed part of the representations made to the DRM.

While some of the road widening and extension works form part of the VMRDA Visakhapatnam Master Plan for new formation, the others included long pending issues. As residents of Dayanandnagar, Chakaligedda, and Mutyamamba Colony face risks of crossing railway tracks for essential purposes like schools and hospitals, the need for an underpass access at Chakaligedda was highlighted.

Also, to ensure safe pedestrian access, the MLA requested a new subway or construction of foot over bridge, sanctioning of a new underpass, building of road along the naval quarters to improve connectivity. “In VMRDA Visakhapatnam Master Plan, we propose that the road from Baji junction to the Airport via Kakani Nagar and Viman Nagar, following the NH-16 corridor, be developed as a 15 to 20 mt-wide road,” Ganababu stressed, requesting the DRM for a site inspection and review the feasibility of the proposals made.