VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada Division of South Central Railway (SCR) achieved a record milestone by operating 90 originating special trains during Sankranti in January 2025.
Starting January 1, special trains were deployed to high-demand destinations, including Secunderabad, Tirupati, Narasapur, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam and Kollam. From January 8 to 25 alone, 74 special services originated from the division, while an additional 85 passing-through trains were handled.
The division recorded an average punctuality of 88% during the festive season, with its best-ever performance of 94.7% on January 18, surpassing the previous record of 94.3% set in November 2024. Extensive arrangements, such as deploying additional staff, setting up 30 UTS and PRS counters at major stations, and maintaining enhanced cleanliness, ensured smooth operations and passenger comfort. Special focus was placed on passenger assistance, with 25 supervisors, 75 ticketing staff, and help desks deployed at busy stations.
Ticket-checking staff managed boarding and deboarding, guiding passengers in reserved and general coaches. A passenger census and real-time reporting of incidents further streamlined operations.
DRM, Narendra A Patil, lauded the team led by Senior Divisional Operations Manager D Narendra Varma and Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Rambabu Vavilapalli for their planning. “Our staff worked tirelessly to ensure smooth travel,” he said.