Waltair Division Cancels 23 Trains, Sets Up Help Desks at 10 Stations

Visakhapatnam: The Waltair Division of East Coast Railway has taken extensive precautionary measures to mitigate the impact of Cyclone Montha, cancelling 23 trains per day and rescheduling 15 others as part of its safety protocols.

Divisional Railway Manager Lalit Bohra said that help desks have been established at 10 major stations to provide passengers with real-time updates on cancellations, diversions, and short-terminations. Passengers have also been alerted through bulk messages about schedule changes.

To ensure uninterrupted operations, 17 diesel locomotives and generators have been kept on standby for power restoration, while expert response teams are positioned at 50-kilometre intervals across the network to handle emergencies swiftly.

A 24x7 War Room has been activated at the Divisional Headquarters to monitor the cyclone’s progress and coordinate field operations. Communication has been strengthened through satellite phones and enhanced rail network connectivity to maintain seamless coordination.

Additionally, accident relief trains, material relief trains, excavators, and bulldozers have been strategically deployed at key sections — Kottavalasa–Kirandul, Koraput–Rayagada, Rayagada–Vizianagaram, and Duvvada–Visakhapatnam–Palasa — to enable prompt restoration work when required.

Trains cancelled for October 29 include:

Train No. 17220 Visakhapatnam–Machilipatnam Express

Train No. 17244 Rayagada–Guntur Express

Train No. 07166 Bhubaneswar–Hyderabad Special Express

For October 30, three trains will also be cancelled:

Train No. 18520 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus–Visakhapatnam Express

Train No. 11019 CST Mumbai–Bhubaneswar Konark Express

Train No. 17479 Puri–Tirupati Express