Passenger traffic up by 11 pc: Waltair DRM

Visakhapatnam: The passenger earnings in the Waltair Division was up by 11 per cent when compared to that of the previous financial year, said Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Anil Kumar, while addressing the Railway Week celebrations held here on Friday. He said the originating passenger traffic in 2012-13 was 32.94 million, which was four per cent higher than the previous year's traffic of 31.62 million. Correspondingly, the originating passenger earnings in 2012-13 was Rs 312.96 crore, which was 11 per cent higher than the earnings of Rs 280.89 crore achieved in 2011-12. On the freight loading front, the division achieved an originating loading of 51.54 MT. With this, Waltair Division has become one of the few divisions of Indian Railways which has an originating loading in excess of 50 MT. On account of this loading, the corresponding freight revenue earnings also crossed Rs 5,000 crore and touched Rs 5,275.83 crore. The increase was due to loading of iron ore, gypsum, alumina and steel. "The performance could have been better had the division not suffered heavy losses in K-K line in December 2012 due to cyclone," the DRM said. To clear extra rush, especially during holidays and weekends, a total of 222 special coaches were attached to various Express trains running in the division. To meet the requirements of direct train services to different destinations from Visakhapatnam, 11 new trains were also started in 2012-13. In spite of fund crunch, many passenger amenity works were being carried out which include renovation of station approach roads towards Gnanapuram side of Visakhapatnam station, second battery-operated car for the benefit of physically challenged, senior citizens and patients, circulating area, escalators for Visakhapatnam station, works of shelters on Platform No. 8, dedicated coach water facility and additional retiring rooms, Mr Anil Kumar said.