Rail Car that stops at call of passengers

Kakinada: The rail car, rail bus in local parlance, service between Kakinada–Kotipalli for a distance of 44km has several unique features to its credit. The first one is, the Railways has been operating the services despite poor passenger patronage.

The second, the popularity it enjoys with youngsters in a different way. The railway staff, who travel in the train, as part of their duty in a lighter vein describe it as a joyride for lovers for four hours on its outward and return journey.

The railways had high expectations of passenger patronage in this route as the service between the two destinations was restored after a long gap of 64 years spending Rs 40 crore. According to sources, its rail tracks were removed during the Second World War for the then military supply needs under British regime.

Late Lok Sabha speaker G M C Balayogi was instrumental in restoring the line between Kakinada–Kotipalli with an idea to extend the same to Amalapuram from there to Narasapuram. But his dream project still remains on paper 15 years after his sudden demise in 2001.

The train service, which was started during last quarter of 2004, had to be curtailed to a single service a day due to poor patronage and lack of revenue. Though the railways decided to close the traffic in the particular route, it is said that former HRD minister Dr MM Pallam Raju prevailed upon the authorities to continue the service.

Under these circumstances, the single service is being operated from Kakinada town with halts at Kovvada, Narasapurapupeta, Ramachandrapuram, Draksharama, Kunduru, Gangavaram en route to Kotipalli. The significant aspect in the operation of this service is it stops at any place en route as per the wish of passengers (by waving their hands) who wants to board it to reach their destinations.

The railways operates the 40-seater rail car with a driver, a guard, one commercial clerk to issue tickets on the train, one track staff to attend emergency operational needs and one mechanical staff to close and open the unmanned rail gates en route when the train passes.

The Vijayawada divisional railway manger, Ashok Kumar, during his visit to the two Kakinada stations two months ago, observed that it is sheer waste of manpower and resources to operate the service in the line as it has neither passenger patronage nor revenue earner to railways.

Amalapuram MP P Ravindra Babu, a former bureaucrat, exuded confidence that the rail line between Kotipalli–Narasapurm connecting Amalapuram will be a reality soon as he prevailed upon the railway board and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu over the need to have the rail line despite the cost factor.

East Godavari Passengers Association president and SCR Zonal Rail Users Consultative Committee member Y D Rama Rao observed that the railways instead of keeping this rail line idle should run train services between Kotipalli-Palasa in North Andhra to fulfill the long cherished desire of passengers of both the areas.

By L Anjaneyulu