Visakhapatnam Division makes Special Arrangements for Godavari Pushkarams

Visakhapatnam Division makes Special Arrangements for Godavari Pushkarams

Visakhapatnam (VSKP): The Waltair Railway Division has made elaborate arrangements for the ensuing Godavari Pushkarams-2015 at Rajahmundry. Special trains, additional booking counters, face-to-face enquiry booths, medical assistance, help desks and round-the-clock reservation have been made for the Pushkarams besides tight security with the help of RPF, Government Railway Police and Scouts and Guides.

In addition to the existing eight general booking counters at Visakhapatnam railway station, six more booking counters are being made operational – four at general booking counters in the present booking office complex and two on the Gnanapuram side. All these additional counters would be exclusively operated to issue tickets from Visakhapatnam to Rajahmundry, Godavari and Kovvuru railway Stations only, which are the locations for the bathing ghats for the Pushkarams. Apart from the five Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) in operation, three additional ATVMs have been provided in the booking office for access to the travelling public.

Exclusively for the Pushkarams, two peak hour ATVMs are being made round-the-clock at Duvvada railway station, while at the Simhachalam railway station, the existing peak hour counter is being made round-the-clock.

Similarly in Vizianagaram, one peak hour counter and two ATVMs will cater to Pushkaram visitors.

At present one face-to-face enquiry counter is in existence at the main portico of Visakhapatnam railway station. Apart from this, an additional face-to-face enquiry counter would be operated round-the-clock at the main booking office. Five Help Desks would be operated round-the-clock as well – three at Visakhapatnam, one each at Duvvada and Simhachalam. The three desks at Visakhapatnam will be one at Gnanapuram side booking office, one at the Gate (Main entrance) and one at the ‘B’ gate (Middle entrance) for the guidance of passengers. The railways is deploying catering inspectors round-the-clock at Visakhapatnam railway station to check overpricing and ensure availability of required food items.

Illumination in the circulating area at the main entrance and Gnanpuram side is being improved while illumination on all the eight platforms of Vizag is being enhanced. Extensive deployment of RPF personnel is being made for bandobast and crowd control at Visakhapatnam, Duvvada, Simhachalam and Vizianagaram stations. Medical facilities have been made available and nursing staff will be manning two medical booths on platforms one and eight at Visakhapatnam railway station.

To maintain cleanliness, Waltair division is infusing more men and material. Apart from the existing toilets on platforms one and eight, mobile toilets would be deployed on the Gnanapuram side of the railway station in coordination with the local civic body.

Apart from the services rendered by RPF, about 25 Scouts and Guides and 20 Civil Defence Personnel will be deployed to work in shifts to assist the travellers on the foot bridges, guide the passengers on the double discharge landings and to maintain queue system on platfroms with single landings.