Sankranti Festival: Special Trains Launched to Ease Passenger Rush in Hyderabad
Special Train Services Announced
Hyderabad: In anticipation of the increased passenger traffic for the Sankranti festival, the South-Central Railway (SCR) has introduced three additional special trains connecting Hyderabad and Anakapalle in Andhra Pradesh.
These services will operate between Charlapalli station and Anakapalle, as announced by the SCR on Sunday.
Train number 07479 will leave Anakapalle at 10:30 PM on January 18, arriving at Charlapalli at 11:30 AM the following day. Meanwhile, train number 07477 is scheduled to depart Charlapalli at 12:40 AM on January 19, reaching Anakapalle by 9 PM the same day.
The third service, train number 07478, will depart Anakapalle at 10:30 PM on January 19 and arrive at Charlapalli at 11:30 AM the next day.
Previously, the SCR had announced four special trains between Hyderabad and Sirpur Kagazhnagar, along with ten special trains to Vijayawada.
Overall, the SCR has rolled out over 170 special trains on major routes, including those to Vijayawada, Kakinada, Machilipatnam, Visakhapatnam, and Narsapur in Andhra Pradesh. An additional 130 special trains are planned to accommodate the surge in passengers.
To manage the expected influx during the Sankranti festival, the SCR has implemented various measures.
It is anticipated that around 220,000 passengers will pass through Secunderabad station daily, with 50,000 at Lingampalli and 35,000 at Charlapalli stations.
To handle the increased passenger volume, a dedicated ground operations team, including Ticket Checking Staff (TTEs) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, has been deployed at Secunderabad station. Extra staff will also be present at all entry and exit points.
A comprehensive CCTV surveillance control room has been established, and a 24/7 operational war room is in place at the divisional headquarters. All construction sites have been securely barricaded, and any obstructions at entry and exit points have been cleared to facilitate smooth passenger movement.
Due to ongoing redevelopment at Secunderabad Railway Station, parking facilities are temporarily unavailable, with limited pick-up and drop-off options at Platform No. 1. The access control system at the Bhoiguda entrance (Platform No. 10 side) has been lifted to expedite passenger flow.