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VISAKHAPATNAM: The proposal to extend the Godavari Express and the Garibrath Superfast Express, which runs between Vizag and Hyderabad and Vizag and Secunderabad respectively, to Palasa in Srikakulam, has not gone down well with the Vizagites who fear loss of quota for booking seats and other benefits that they get as the trains originate in Vizag.The denizens are already irked with the railway ministry for not accepting their demand for a separate railway zone and for not setting up the wagon repair factory here. The proposal to extend the trains adds to the insult, they said.The leaders of several organisations that work to safeguard the interests of passengers plan to throw cold water on the extension proposal, which is worrying many a passenger in the city, who prefer travelling by Godavari Express and Garibrath from the city to Secunderabad due to the convenient timings and semi-luxurious, passenger-friendly facilities available at affordable fare.The Railways had, more than seven years ago, extended two important trains - Prasanthi Express (from Bangalore) and Visakha Express (from Secunderabad) to Bhubaneswar from Visakhapatnam railway station, much against the wishes of Vizagites, they alleged.

The proposal to extend the two trains was mooted by a section of people in Srikakulam during the recent visit of the Union minister of state for railways, Kotla Jaya Suryaprakash Reddy.

"It has to be decided at the Railway board and the cabinet level. Though I cannot assure anything on the issue right now, I will forward the proposal to senior officials," said Reddy.

Visakhapatnam Separate Railway Zone Sadhana Samiti convener JV Satyanarayana Murthy said that the Railways introduced Garibrath in response to several efforts and protests by the Vizagites and leaders of various parties. "We are ready to once again take up protests against any kind of effort to implement the proposal," he said.

"The Railways can address the issue by introducing a dedicated link train between Palasa and Visakhapatnam for the sake of those who want to travel in Godavari and Garibrath from Vizag instead of extending the two trains up to Palasa," Murthy suggested.

Railway sources revealed that the proposal can generate income for the Waltair division, but can create inconvenience for locals in various aspects such as reservation of seats, timings and cleanliness.

"Indian Railway rules state that originating stations are eligible for reserving 50% of total seats available in a train by using all types of quotas, right from tatkal to emergency quota. The East Coast Railway (ECoR) can earn some extra money if the proposal is materialised. The ECoR's present share of passenger fare in both Godavari and Garibrath is only 18 kilometres (up to Duvvada from Visakhapatnam station). South Central Railways collects the remaining fare of the two trains," a senior railway officer told TOI.Godavari Express is a popular train between Vizag and Hyderabad. It was introduced as the Waltair-Hyderabad Express in February 1, 1974. The Garibrath was introduced between Visakhapatnam and Secunderabad on October 26, 2008. The train which initially started as a tri-weekly and then extended up to four days a week, was finally made into a daily service. Nearly 1,000 passengers board the train everyday at Visakhapatnam railway station.Railway sources revealed that the proposal can generate income for the Waltair division, but can create inconvenience for locals in various aspects such as reservation of seats, timings and cleanliness