Lok Sabha Question No. 2957 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Wait listing Data of Train Originating/Passing through Visakhapatnam
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Sribharat Mathukumilli

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2957 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025

## WAIT LISTING DATA OF TRAIN ORIGINATING/PASSING THROUGH VISAKHAPATNAM

## 2957.  SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  top  ten  train  routes  originating  from/passing  through Visakhapatnam, based on average monthly occupancy rates and waiting list data during the last two years;
- (b) the details of the average number of passengers waitlisted at the time of  chart  preparation  for  high  demand  routes  including  VisakhapatnamTirupati, Visakhapatnam-Bengaluru and Visakhapatnam-Hyderabad;
- (c) the comparison of demand-supply gap for trains at Visakhapatnam with other  A1-category  stations  in  Andhra  Pradesh,  Telangana,  Tamil  Nadu,
- Karnataka, Maharashtra and Odisha; and
- (d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  address  this  demand  through introduction of new trains, augmentation of existing services, infrastructure  capacity  expansion  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the timelines for such measures?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to (d): On Indian Railways, occupancy pattern of trains is not uniform throughout the year and it varies over lean and peak periods.  During peak rush  periods,  the  occupancy  of  the  trains  especially  on  popular  routes remains full whereas during lean period and on less popular routes, there is  sub  optimal  utilization.  During  2024-25,  the  overall  occupancy  over Indian  Railways  was  more  than  100%.  During  the  same  period,  7.5% passengers out of the total reserved passengers remained waitlisted.

Presently,  Visakhapatnam-Tirupati  sector  is  served  by  24  pairs, Visakhapatnam  -  Bengaluru  sector  by  18  pairs  and  VisakhapatnamHyderabad sector by 21 pairs of train services. Similarly, VisakhapatnamHowrah sector and Visakhapatnam-Raipur Sector are served by 22 pairs and 08 pairs of train services respectively.

## (i) Trains serving Visakhapatnam-Tirupati sector :

|   SN | Train Number and Name                                     |
|------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 12253/54 Yesvantpur-Bhagalpur Anga Express                |
|    2 | 12659/60 Shalimar - Nagercoil Express                     |
|    3 | 12835/36 Hatía - SMVT Bengaluru Express                   |
|    4 | 12845/46 Bhubaneswar - SMVT Bengaluru Express             |
|    5 | 12863/64 Howrah - SMVT Bengaluru Express                  |
|    6 | 12867/68 Howrah - Puducherry Express                      |
|    7 | 12889/90 Tatanagar - SMVT Bengaluru Express               |
|    8 | 13433/34 Malda Town - SMVT Bengaluru Amrit Bharat Express |
|    9 | 17479/80 Puri - Tirupati Express                          |
|   10 | 17481/82 Bilaspur - Tirupati Express                      |
|   11 | 18521/22 Visakhapatnam - Cuddapah Express                 |
|   12 | 18567/68 Visakhapatnam - Kollam Express                   |
|   13 | 18637/38 Hatía - SMVT Bengaluru Express                   |
|   14 | 20889/90 Howrah - Tirupati Humsafar Express               |
|   15 | 22503/04 Dibrugarh - Kanyakumari Vivek Express            |

|   16 | 22707/08 Visakhapatnam - Tirupati Weekly Express     |
|------|------------------------------------------------------|
|   17 | 22817/18 Howrah - Mysuru Express                     |
|   18 | 22833/34 Bhubaneswar-SMVT Bengaluru Humsafar Express |
|   19 | 22837/38 Hatía - Ernakulam Dharti Aaba Express       |
|   20 | 22851/52 Santragachi - Mangaluru Vivek Express       |
|   21 | 22855/56 Santragachi - Tirupati Express              |
|   22 | 22871/72 Bhubaneswar - Tirupati Express              |
|   23 | 22879/80 Bhubaneswar - Tirupati Express              |
|   24 | 22887/88 Howrah - SMVT Bengaluru Humsafar Express    |

## (ii) Trains serving Visakhapatnam - Bengaluru sector:

|   SN | Train Number and Name                                     |
|------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 18463/64 Bhubaneswar - KSR Bengaluru Prashanti Express    |
|    2 | 12845/46 Bhubaneswar - SMVT Bengaluru Express             |
|    3 | 22833/34 Bhubaneswar - SMVT Bengaluru Humsafar Express    |
|    4 | 12253/54 Bhagalpur - Yesvantpur Anga Express              |
|    5 | 12509/10 Guwahati - SMVT Bengaluru Express                |
|    6 | 18637/38 Hatía - SMVT Bengaluru Express                   |
|    7 | 12835/36 Hatía - SMVT Bengaluru Express                   |
|    8 | 12503/04 Agartala - SMVT Bengaluru Humsafar Express       |
|    9 | 22817/18 Howrah - Mysuru Express                          |
|   10 | 22887/88 Howrah - SMVT Bengaluru Humsafar Express         |
|   11 | 12863/64 Howrah - SMVT Bengaluru Express                  |
|   12 | 22305/06 Jasidih - SMVT Bengaluru Express                 |
|   13 | 15227/28 Muzaffarpur - SMVT Bengaluru Express             |
|   14 | 13433/34 Malda Town - SMVT Bengaluru Amrit Bharat Express |
|   15 | 22501/02 New Tinsukia - SMVT Bengaluru Express            |

|   16 | 22883/84 Puri - Yesvantpur Garib Rath Express   |
|------|-------------------------------------------------|
|   17 | 18111/12 Tatanagar - Yesvantpur Express         |
|   18 | 12889/90 Tatanagar - SMVT Bengaluru Express     |

## (iii) Trains serving Visakhapatnam-Hyderabad sector:

|   SN | Train Number and Name                                      |
|------|------------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 11019/20 CSMT-Bhubaneswar Konark Express                   |
|    2 | 12513/14 Secunderabad-Silchar Express                      |
|    3 | 12703/04 Howrah - Secunderabad Falaknuma Express           |
|    4 | 12727/28 Visakhapatnam - Hyderabad Godavari Express        |
|    5 | 12739/40 Visakhapatnam - Secunderabad Garib Rath Express   |
|    6 | 12773/74 Shalimar - Secunderabad Express                   |
|    7 | 12783/84 Visakhapatnam - Secunderabad Express              |
|    8 | 12805/06 Visakhapatnam - Lingampalli Express               |
|    9 | 12861/62 Visakhapatnam - Mahbubnagar Express               |
|   10 | 17015/16 Bhubaneswar - Secunderabad Visakha Express        |
|   11 | 18045/46 Shalimar -Charlapalli East Coast Express          |
|   12 | 18111/12 Tatanagar - Yesvantpur Express                    |
|   13 | 18503/04 Visakhapatnam - Sainagar Shirdi Express           |
|   14 | 18519/20 Visakhapatnam - Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express   |
|   15 | 20708/09 Visakhapatnam - Secunderabad Express              |
|   16 | 20809/10 Sambalpur - Hazur Sahib Nanded Express            |
|   17 | 20811/12 Visakhapatnam - Hazur Sahib Nanded Express        |
|   18 | 20833/34 Visakhapatnam - Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express |
|   19 | 22203/04 Visakhapatnam - Secunderabad Duronto Express      |
|   20 | 22849/50 Shalimar - Secunderabad Express                   |
|   21 | 22882/81 Bhubaneswar - Pune Express                        |

## (iv) Trains serving Visakhapatnam-Howrah sector:

|   SN | Train Number and Name                                  | Train Number and Name                                  | Train Number and Name                                  |
|------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 22851/52 Mangaluru - Santragachi Vivek Express         | 22851/52 Mangaluru - Santragachi Vivek Express         | 22851/52 Mangaluru - Santragachi Vivek Express         |
|    2 | 12703/04 Secunderabad-Howrah Falaknuma Express         | 12703/04 Secunderabad-Howrah Falaknuma Express         | 12703/04 Secunderabad-Howrah Falaknuma Express         |
|    3 | 20889/90 Tirupati-Howrah Humsafar Express              | 20889/90 Tirupati-Howrah Humsafar Express              | 20889/90 Tirupati-Howrah Humsafar Express              |
|    4 | 22887/88 SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah Humsafar Express        | 22887/88 SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah Humsafar Express        | 22887/88 SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah Humsafar Express        |
|    5 | 12863/64 SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah Express                 | 12863/64 SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah Express                 | 12863/64 SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah Express                 |
|    6 | 12839/40 MGR Chennai Central-Howrah Mail               | 12839/40 MGR Chennai Central-Howrah Mail               | 12839/40 MGR Chennai Central-Howrah Mail               |
|    7 | 18047/48 Vasco-da-Gama-Shalimar Amaravati Express      | 18047/48 Vasco-da-Gama-Shalimar Amaravati Express      | 18047/48 Vasco-da-Gama-Shalimar Amaravati Express      |
|    8 | 22855/56 Tirupati-Santragachi Suf Express              | 22855/56 Tirupati-Santragachi Suf Express              | 22855/56 Tirupati-Santragachi Suf Express              |
|    9 | 12867/68 Puducherry-Howrah Express                     | 12867/68 Puducherry-Howrah Express                     | 12867/68 Puducherry-Howrah Express                     |
|   10 | 12663/64 Tiruchchirappalli-Howrah Express              | 12663/64 Tiruchchirappalli-Howrah Express              | 12663/64 Tiruchchirappalli-Howrah Express              |
|   11 | 22825/26 MGR Chennai Central-Shalimar Express          | 22825/26 MGR Chennai Central-Shalimar Express          | 22825/26 MGR Chennai Central-Shalimar Express          |
|   12 | 12665/66 Kanniyakumari-Howrah Express                  | 12665/66 Kanniyakumari-Howrah Express                  | 12665/66 Kanniyakumari-Howrah Express                  |
|   13 | 22853/54 Visakhapatnam-Shalimar Express                | 22853/54 Visakhapatnam-Shalimar Express                | 22853/54 Visakhapatnam-Shalimar Express                |
|   14 | 12773/74 Secunderabad-Shalimar Express                 | 12773/74 Secunderabad-Shalimar Express                 | 12773/74 Secunderabad-Shalimar Express                 |
|   15 | 22849/50 Secunderabad- Shalimar Express                | 22849/50 Secunderabad- Shalimar Express                | 22849/50 Secunderabad- Shalimar Express                |
|   16 | 12841/42 MGR Chennai Central-Howrah Coromondel Express | 12841/42 MGR Chennai Central-Howrah Coromondel Express | 12841/42 MGR Chennai Central-Howrah Coromondel Express |
|   17 | 22817/18 Mysuru-Howrah Express                         | 22817/18 Mysuru-Howrah Express                         | 22817/18 Mysuru-Howrah Express                         |
|   18 | 22841/42 Tambaram- Santragachi Antyodaya Express       | 22841/42 Tambaram- Santragachi Antyodaya Express       | 22841/42 Tambaram- Santragachi Antyodaya Express       |
|   19 | 22807/08 MGR Chennai Central- Santragachi Express      | 22807/08 MGR Chennai Central- Santragachi Express      | 22807/08 MGR Chennai Central- Santragachi Express      |
|   20 | 18045/46 Charlapalli-Shalimar East Coast Express       | 18045/46 Charlapalli-Shalimar East Coast Express       | 18045/46 Charlapalli-Shalimar East Coast Express       |
|   21 | 12659/60 Nagercoil-Shalimar Express                    | 12659/60 Nagercoil-Shalimar Express                    | 12659/60 Nagercoil-Shalimar Express                    |
|   22 | 22641/42                                               | Thiruvananthapuram                                     | (Trivandrum)-Shalimar                                  |
|   22 | Express                                                |                                                        |                                                        |

## (v) Trains serving Visakhapatnam-Raipur Sector:

|   SN | Train Number and Name                                     |
|------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 58527/28 Raipur - Visakhapatnam Passenger                 |
|    2 | 17481/82 Bilaspur - Tirupati Express                      |
|    3 | 12807/08 Visakhapatnam - Hazrat Nizamuddin Samata Express |
|    4 | 18573/74 Visakhapatnam - Bhagat Ki Kothi Express          |
|    5 | 18517/18 Korba - Visakhapatnam Express                    |
|    6 | 22847/48 Visakhapatnam - Lokmanya Tilak (T) Express       |
|    7 | 20829/30 Durg -Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express         |
|    8 | 18529/30 Durg -Visakhapatnam Express                      |

Further,  to  cater  inter  alia  to  the  needs  of  Visakhapatnam  the following services have been provided during last 3 years:

|   SN | Train Number and Name                                                        |
|------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 20833/20834 Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express                  |
|    2 | 20707/20708 Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express                  |
|    3 | 20841/20842 Bhubaneshwar-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express                  |
|    4 | 20829/20830 Durg-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express                          |
|    5 | 13433/13434 SMVT Bengaluru-Malda Town Amrit Bharat Express via Visakhapatnam |

Besides,  introduction  of  new  train  services  on  any  route/section and/or  augmentation  of  train  services,  which  is  an  on-going  process, depends on various factors which include:

- Capacity of that section
- Availability of path
- Availability of required rolling stock
- Availability of matching infrastructure for rolling stock
- Maintenance requirement of railway tracks and other asset

## ANDHRA PRADESH:

Budget  allocation  in  the  recent  years  has  increased  significantly. Budget  allocation  for  infrastructure  projects  and  safety  works,  falling fully/partly in the State of Andhra Pradesh is as under:

| PERIOD    | OUTLAY                             |
|-----------|------------------------------------|
| 2009-2014 | ₹886 cr/year (including Telangana) |
| 2025-2026 | ₹9,417 cr.                         |

The details  of  commissioning/laying  of  new  track  falling  fully/partly  in the State of Andhra Pradesh during 2009-14 and 2014-25 is as under:

| Period   | New Track Commissioned   | Average Commissioning of new tracks   |
|----------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 363 km                   | -                                     |
| 2014-25  | 1,582 km                 | More than 4 times                     |

As on 01.04.2025, 39 projects (12 New Lines and 27 Doubling), covering total length of 4,498 km length, costing ₹70,231 crore, falling fully/partly in Andhra Pradesh, have been sanctioned, out of which 1,179 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹28,039 crore has been incurred upto March 2025. The status of the work is summarized as:

| Plan Head   |   No. of projects | Total Length (km)   | Length Commissione d (Km)   | Balance to complete (km)   | Exp upto March 2025 (₹. in cr.)   |
|-------------|-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| New         |                12 | 1595                | 199                         | 1395                       | 6413                              |
| Double Line |                27 | 2904                | 979                         | 1925                       | 21626                             |
| TOTAL       |                39 | 4,498               | 1,179                       | 3,320                      | 28,039                            |

## Details of some of the recently completed projects falling fully/partly in the State of Andhra Pradesh are as under:

|   S.No. | Name of Project                                                                                       | Cost (cr.)   |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|
|       1 | Vijaywada-Gudivada-Bhimavaram-Narsapur, Gudivada-Machlipatnam&Bhimavaram-Nidadavolu doubling (221 km) | 4,688        |
|       2 | Guntur-Tenali doubling (24 km)                                                                        | 205          |
|       3 | Nandyal-Yerraguntla new line (126 km)                                                                 | 1,050        |
|       4 | Jaggayyapeta-Mellacheruvu-Janpahad new line (48 km)                                                   | 737          |
|       5 | Obulavaripalle-Krishnapattnam new line (113 km)                                                       | 2,300        |
|       6 | Vizianagaram-Kottavalsa 3rd Line (35 km)                                                              | 285          |
|       7 | Raichur-Guntakal doubling (81 km)                                                                     | 388          |
|       8 | Guntakal-Kalluru doubling (41 km)                                                                     | 410          |
|       9 | Yelahanka-Penukonda doubling (123 km)                                                                 | 1,104        |
|      10 | Gooty-Dharmavaram doubling (90 km)                                                                    | 1,800        |

Some  of  the  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Andhra Pradesh which have been taken up are as under:

|   S.N | Name of Project                                              | Cost (Cr)   |
|-------|--------------------------------------------------------------|-------------|
|     1 | Kotipalli-Narsapur new line (57 Km)                          | 2,120       |
|     2 | Nadikude-Srikalahasti new line (309 Km)                      | 3,122       |
|     3 | Rayadurg-Kalyandurg-Tumkur new line (207 Km)                 | 2,496       |
|     4 | Marikuppam-Kuppam new line (24 Km)                           | 297         |
|     5 | Malugur-Palasamudram new line (18 Km)                        | 342         |
|     6 | Malkangiri- Bhadrachalam - Pandurangapuram new line (174 Km) | 3,592       |
|     7 | Errupalem-Amravati-Namburu new line (57 Km)                  | 2,047       |
|     8 | Kottavalasa-Koraput Doubling (189 Km)                        | 2,500       |
|     9 | Vijaywada- Gudur 3rd line (287 Km)                           | 6,509       |
|    10 | Guntakal- Guntur Doubling (401 Km)                           | 4,306       |
|    11 | Pennukonda-Dharmavarm Doubling (42 Km)                       | 308         |
|    12 | Gooty-Pendekallu Doubling (29 Km)                            | 352         |
|    13 | Duvvada - Simhachalam North 3rd & 4th line (21 Km)           | 356         |
|    14 | Kottavalasa - Vizianagram 4th line (35 Km)                   | 493         |
|    15 | Gudur - Renigunta 3rd Line (83 Km)                           | 877         |
|    16 | Nergundi - Palasa- Vizianagaram 3rd line (385 Km)            | 4,963       |

In  last  three  Years  i.e.  2022-23,  2023-24,  2024-25  and  current financial year 2025-26, 64 surveys (15 New Line, 49 Doubling) covering a total length of 6,967 km has been taken up falling fully/partly in the State of Andhra Pradesh.

Sanction of any railway project depend upon many parameters/factors which include the following:

-  Anticipated traffic projections and remunerativeness of the proposed route
-  First and last mile connectivity provided by the project
-  Connection of missing links and providing additional route
-  Augmentation of congested/saturated lines
-  Demands raised by State Governments/Central Ministries/Public representatives
-  Railway's own operational requirements
-  Socio-economic considerations
-  Overall availability of funds

Completion  of  Railway  project/s  depends  on  various  factors  which include the following:

-  Land acquisition
-  Forest clearance
-  Shifting of infringing utilities
-  Statutory clearances from various authorities
-  Geological and topographical conditions of area
-  Law and order situation in the area of project site
-  Number of working months in a year for particular project site etc.

All these factors affect the completion time and cost of the project/s.

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