Visakhapatnam: Every year from Dasara to the first week of February, tourists from the two Telugu states and neighbouring states such as West Bengal and Odisha come to Vizag to enjoy the Araku Valley train journey. Presently, these tourists are facing difficulties, because they have only one train, which is the Kirandul Express.
Every year, an additional special train runs between Visakhapatnam and Araku, given the demand from tourists. This train used to start in the first week of December and end in the first week of February. But this year, it is not on track yet.
When Deccan Chronicle spoke to railway PRO Jayaram about it, he said, “We sent proposals 15-20 days ago. If Bhubaneswar headquarters gives a green signal, then the train will start from Vizag at 8 am and reach Araku at noon. From Araku, it will start at 4 pm and reach Vizag at 8 pm. At present, we need at least two trains for Araku.”
Despite receiving a proposal from Vizag DRM, the Bhubaneswar headquarters has not yet cleared the line for an additional special. Visakhapatnam and Araku are approximately 131 kilometres away from one another. Visakhapatnam-Kirandul Express covers this distance in approximately 3 hours and 8 minutes. As it is the only train available for Araku visitors, it is overcrowded. There is a craze for Visakhapatnam to Araku train travel because it runs through hills, valleys, and steep tunnels, due to which tourists mostly prefer it.
