Thousands of train passengers, headed towards various destinations, got stranded at the Vijayawada railway station due to cancellation of nearly 20 express and passengers trains and diversion of some others on Sunday as power supply was stopped to the traction lines by the striking Electricity JAC members in all the 13 Seemandhra districts in protest against division of the state.
Trains run by electric engines were cancelled either fully or partially for two days on October 6 and 7. Passenger trains travelling from Vijayawada to Gudur, Guntur, Kazipet, Dornakal Junction, Machilipatnam, Bitragunta, Ongole and Tenali were cancelled on Sunday and Monday. More than 50 trains passing through the Vijayawada railway station are running late by more than two to four hours.
K Prabhakar, a businessman travelling from Mumbai to Bantumilli, his native place, said he was disappointed with the situation in the Seemandhra districts. “I have travelled from Mumbai to Vijayawada comfortably but could not go to Bantumilli from there due to non-availability of transportation facility,” he said and added that taxi operators were taking advantage of the situation to charge excess fares from the customers.
Passengers travelling towards Gudur, Machilipatnam, Ongole and Tirupati are dependent on either express trains or private vehicles. Meanwhile, helplines have been arranged at the railway station at Vijayawada, Nellore, Ongole and Rajamundry.