Rs 20cr sanctioned to develop Simhachalam Rly Station: MP

Visakhapatnam: The Railway authorities have undertaken several activities to develop Simhachalam, Duvvada and Pendurthi as satellite stations to decongest traffic at Waltair Railway Station, the main station of Visakhapatnam.

Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee member and Rajya Sabha MP, G V L Narasimha Rao on Sunday said under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, the satellite railway stations are being developed. Rs 20 crore has been sanctioned to improve the amenities at Simhachalam.

He said in deference to the request by the locals, an underpass is being built near the Simhachalam station and urged the authorities to install escalators for the footover bridge at Simhachalam as senior citizens and others are finding it difficult to climb the steep steps.

The MP appealed to the authorities to name the underpass after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recognition of his commitment to improve the railway amenities in Visakhapatnam. The footover bridge was built by Visakhapatnam Steel Plant three decades ago. He thanked Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Railway officials for sanctioning the long-pending demand of introducing a direct train from Visakhapatnam to Benares. The government has already announced the extension of Sambalpur-Benares twice a week express train to Visakhapatnam with additional coaches from November 22.