Restore Chennai-Vizag trains to old timings, seeks Minister
The Hindu
Passenger occupancy was taking a hit
Conversion of train no. 22870 Chennai – Visakhapatnam and 22802 Chennai – Visakhapatnam weekly overnight trains into ‘daytime special trains’ by the Southern Railway (SR), reportedly due to operational constraints at MGR Chennai Central Station, has led to a drastic fall in patronage for these two trains.
These weekly trains, operated by East Coast Railway (ECoR), were introduced following persistent demands by passengers from Visakhapatnam region working in Chennai, who come home during the weekends, apart from tourists.
The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.