Indian railway is one of the most used and largest rail networks in this world. It has been serving millions of people from more than a century since its establishment in India in 1853 by East India Company. It has a total of more than 8000 railway station out of which most of them are equipped with modern amenities for passengers. The affordable fares and good services make it the ideal means of transport for people of India. Daily, tonnes of freight and million people are carried by Indian Railways to their various destinations. Indian Railways is divided into 18 zones and 68 divisions, which are controlled by Ministry of Railways under Government of India.

Vijayawada is a major city located at the banks of the river Krishna in the state of Andhra Pradesh of Southern India. It is also known as the economic capital of Andhra Pradesh due to its involvement in large-scale trading and business activities. After Visakhapatnam, it is the largest city of Andhra Pradesh in terms of area. With an annual GDP of $3 billion, it is one of the most important economic hubs of the state and is expected to increase its GDP up to $17billion annually by 2025. Railways have played an important role in the growth of Vijayawada.

There are eleven small and big railway stations in Vijayawada serving people and economy of Vijayawada. These stations are Vijayawada Railway station (BZA), Madhuranagar Station (MDUN), Gunadala station (GALA), Rayanapadu station (RYP), Kondapalli station (KI), Nidamanuru station (NDM), Krishna Canal railway station (KCC), Ramavarappadu station (RMV), Mustabada Station (MBD), and Gannavaram station (GWM).

Vijayawada Railway Station (BZA) –

Vijayawada Railway station or BZA was established in the year 1888 is an important railway station that is controlled by the Vijayawada railway division of Southern Railway Zone. It lies on the Howrah-Chennai main line.

Lines that Pass through Vijayawada Railway Station are;

• Vijayawada-Guntakal line
• Vijayawada–Chennai section
• Vijayawada-Howrah line
• Vijayawada-Machilipatnam line
• Vijayawada-Kazipet line
• Vijayawada-New Delhi line

The railway station has a total of ten platforms that are equipped with all the basic amenities for passengers. All the platforms are long enough to handle trains with more than 24 coaches. The platform no. 7 and 8 have an additional track in between them, which serves as a service line for goods trains. It has five entrances with each having a computerised ticket booking office. It receives more than 250 passenger trains and more than 150 freight trains on a daily basis making it one of the most engaged railway stations in the network of Indian Railways hosting more than 50 million passengers annually.

It is an A-1 grade station of Southern Railway Zone and generates revenue of more than 100 crore in a financial year.

Vijayawada railway station has a standard layout of the station with an efficient traction inside the station with 22 tracks. All the lines and tracks of Vijayawada station are broad gauge and electrified except one. The Machlipatnam – Vijayawada line is non-electrified, hence diesel locomotives are used for the traffic on this line.

The railway station of Vijayawada also acts as a junction for lines coming from five different Directions.

These lines are;

• Vijayawada – Gudur – Tenali – Chennai
• Vijayawada – Guntakal – Bangalore – Guntur
• Vijayawada – Warangal
• Vijayawada – Rajamundry– Eluru – Howrah
• Vijayawada – Machilipatnam – Gudivada

There is a Diesel loco Shed with a capacity of 100 locomotives, and also, an electric loc shed which has WAG-7, WAM-4 and WAG-5 models. After the headquarters for South Eastern Railway Zone had been shifted to Bhubaneswar from Vishakhapatnam, the railway station of Vijayawada has seen many developments along with new enhanced appearance in last several years. One of the most important upgrades that were introduced to the station was the “Integrated Security Scheme,” which led to the construction of a concrete wall around the station premises along with placement of advanced surveillance and security systems on every entrance and exit of the station. A special emphasis was laid on minimising the entry and exit points of the station, which was an extra precaution regarding the emerging threat of terrorism in India.

The railway station of Vijayawada is an important asset of the city and has been playing an important role in the rapid growth of the city.

Trains Passing through Vijayawada Railway Station –