The Indian Railways has announced that 200 trains, all over India, will resume operations from 1 June, much to the relief of citizens stranded away from their hometowns. Closer home to Visakhapatnam, Waltair Division authorities have also been granted permission to resume operations for select trains plying in the sector. Waltair Division Senior Commercial Manager, Sunil Kumar stated that tickets can be booked online for the trains that will halt at Visakhapatnam. Currently, AP Express (Visakhapatnam – New Delhi), Godavari Express (Secunderabad – Visakhapatnam), Bhubaneshwar – Mumbai Konark Express, Howrah – Secunderabad Falaknuma Express, trains are scheduled to ply through Visakhapatnam starting from 1 June 2020.
All the above-mentioned trains will be operated with reserved berths with Superfast and regular Mail/Express fares. Passengers with reserved berths travelling in general second class coaches will be charged the second class fare. Tatkaal services aren’t operational during this phase. Authorities have also asked passengers to carry their own food. While food and packaged drinking water can be requested, from the IRCTC officials stated that the menu will be limited.
Passengers can book tickets for these trains only via the IRCTC website or mobile application. Booking of tickets through railway counters and railway agents has not been permitted. The authorities have stated that advance booking period for these trains in thirty days. Further, passengers have been asked not to visit the railway counters to purchase tickets. With the exception of four categories of Divyangjan and 11 categories of patient concessions, no other ticket concessions have been permitted at present. Catering charges have been omitted from the train fares.
Apart from the passenger trains that will be operated through Visakhapatnam from 1 June, the Waltair Division has run eight Shramik special trains to Odisha, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, carrying over 10,000 migrant workers. Time-tabled goods trains and parcel express trains have also been running for supplying essential goods.
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