Duvvada railway station in Visakhapatnam needs better passenger amenities

Some of the facilities created are out of bound for passengers for a greater part of the day, as they remain locked most of the time

A high wall outside the station building on PF-1 side, closed waiting hall on PF-4 and water stagnation on platforms during rains, greet passengers at the 120-year-old Duvvada railway station, which is the gateway to Visakhapatnam city as also the entry point of Waltair Division of East Coast Railway.

Ironically, some of the facilities created are out of bound for passengers for a greater part of the day, as they remain locked most of the time. The number of trains, which were given a halt at Duvvada, increased to 44 pairs, apart from some special trains..

A railway line, laid for movement of goods trains, carrying raw materials to the Simhadri Power Plant of NTPC, passes right along the front side of the station building. This had necessitated the construction of a high wall to prevent people from crossing the track to gain direct entry into the station building and PF-1. The NTPC authorities, however, provided a ramp-type FOB to allow access from the road to the station building, but there is neither a lift nor an escalator or battery-operated vehicle at the station, forcing passengers to carry their luggage up and down the ramp.

The railway authorities provided a new platform (PF-4), following several representations from people’s representatives and the Duvvada Railway User’s Association (DRUA) over the years. A ramp was constructed from PF-4 side of Duvvada station to the Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone (VSEZ) flyover to provide access to passengers using PF-4 entrance.

This flyover developed large holes, due to the movement of heavy vehicles over the years. This needs urgent repairs as it poses a risk to motorists, particularly to two-wheeler riders going to the station.

A ‘waiting hall’, constructed on PF-4 remains locked most of the time and the keys are kept at the ticket booking counter. The toilets are also located inside the waiting hall, and passengers have to collect the keys from the booking counter even to use the washroom or have to walk all the way on the foot over bridge to use the toilet on PF-1.

DRUA secretary Kanchumurthi Eswar met Divisional Railway Manager Anup Satpathy and impressed upon him on the need to increase the height of PF-1 for the convenience of senior citizens and pregnant women, extending the roof on PF-1 and PF-4 to protect passengers from sun and rain, provision of toilets on PF-4 as the waiting halls are locked most of the time, reopening of the second exit on PF-4, which was closed some months ago, to provide easy access to wheelchair users.