Indian Railways has approved a ₹299-crore project to remodel the Visakhapatnam Coaching Yard under the South Coast Railway, aiming to significantly enhance the station’s operational capacity, improve train punctuality and upgrade passenger facilities at one of the country’s busiest railway terminals.
The comprehensive remodelling project includes the construction of additional railway lines and platforms, along with the installation of an Electronic Interlocking (EI) system to streamline train operations.
Visakhapatnam Railway Station currently handles around 80,000 passengers daily and operates an average of 113 trains every day. According to the Ministry of Railways, the existing yard layout requires both terminating and through trains to negotiate multiple surface crossings, resulting in delays at approach signals, reduced platform availability and operational bottlenecks.
The Ministry said remodelling is expected to minimise these constraints by reducing surface crossings, cutting train detention time, improving platform occupancy and enabling the station to handle additional train services.
As part of the project, six existing platforms will be widened, while six new platforms and six additional railway lines will be constructed to expand the station’s capacity. The project also includes the reorganisation of yard point zones by dismantling loop lines to facilitate smoother train movement.
Passenger amenities will also receive a major upgrade. The widened platforms will be equipped with ramps, lifts and escalators to improve accessibility and commuter convenience. A new entrance on the eastern side of the station will be developed, along with the relocation of the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) to improve passenger circulation.
The project further includes the installation of an Electronic Interlocking system across the station yard, development of surface parking facilities and the creation of an efficient circulation plan to improve access to and from the station.
The Ministry said the infrastructure upgrade will ease congestion within the coaching yard, increase platform availability and facilitate smoother train operations. The expanded facilities are expected to help Visakhapatnam Railway Station meet rising passenger demand while improving punctuality and reducing train detention.
