• Shri Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, General Manager, Secunderabad on his visit to Vijayawada took stock of the situation with officials
• SCR geared up to tackle the situation in case of emergencies

Due to the intensification of Montha Cyclone which is likely to affect several places in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa & other Coastal areas, there may be changes in the pattern of train services in this region as per the need of the situation in the interest of safety to the train operations and passengers. The Cyclone Montha is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kakinada around the evening of 28th October as a severe cyclonic storm with heavy wind speeds. In view of the forecast of heavy rains and strong winds along the coastal areas from October 27 to 29, passengers are advised to travel only if absolutely necessary during this period.

Shri Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, General Manager, South Central Railway, on his visit to Vijayawada today, i.e., 27th October 2025, took stock of the preparedness in a meeting held at the Divisional Conference Hall of the DRM Office, Vijayawada. Shri Mohit Saxena, Divisional Railway Manager, Vijayawada Division briefed the General Manager on the steps being taken to tackle Cyclone Montha. Smt. K. Padmaja, Principal Chief Operations Manager, South Central Railway and other branch officers from the Division attended the meeting.

General Manager instructed the heads of all departments - Operating, Engineering, Electrical, Mechanical, Commercial, and Medical to be on high alert to ensure the safety of passengers, staff, and railway assets. Control rooms are being setup at both divisional level and headquarters level and are manned round-the-clock by officers and supervisors to closely monitor train operations, bridge conditions, and water levels at vulnerable locations.

Shri Satya Prakash, Additional General Manager held a preparedness meeting with Principal heads of departments at SCR Headquarters, Rail Nilayam. He instructed officials to be on high alert to respond as per the need of the situation. He advised to setup a war room to monitor time-to-time cyclonic affects at the Zonal and Divisional Level.

Patrolling teams have been deployed to monitor tracks, bridges, and other critical infrastructure. Monsoon reserves, comprising men, materials, and machinery, are ready to be mobilized in case of any emergency. Diesel locomotives and mobile rescue teams (MRTs) have been positioned strategically to ensure continuity of essential operations even in the event of traction failures. Passenger safety and convenience are being prioritised. Adequate food and water supplies have been ensured at catering units and railway stations. Medical teams, ambulances, and first-aid centers are on standby to respond promptly to any eventuality. Close coordination and liaisoning is being maintained with the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) to facilitate real-time updates and joint responses. Help Desks and 24x7 PRS refund counters have been set up at key stations, including Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Kakinada Town, Bhimavaram, and Tenali.

In this context, rail passengers are appealed to make note of the following:

• Rail Passengers are requested to please plan their rail journeys keeping in view the current climatic conditions like heavy rains and cyclonic situations.
• The change in the pattern of train services like cancellation, diversion, rescheduling etc., will be informed to the passengers by sending SMS to their mobile numbers given at the time of booking the reserved tickets.
• Rail users may also check the correct position of the trains from the valid sources of Railway Applications/Websites like IRCTC, Railone, NTES etc., or dial the enquiry number 139 for correct information, before undertaking their journey.
• The change in the pattern of train services will also be disseminated regularly through Print, Electronic and Social Media.
• Passengers can also avail the information related to cancellation/partial cancellation/diversion/rescheduling of trains on the Social Media platforms like X (@SCRailwayIndia), Facebook (South Central Railway-S.C.R), Instagram (@scrailwayindia) and SCR official website (https://scr.indianrailways.gov.in/).
• For any trains related enquiry during this period, passengers may kindly contact the authorities at the nearest Railway station.
• Help line numbers are set up at important and major stations of Vijayawada Division (Enclosed in the Annexure).

Help Desks Provided at BZA Division :-

• Gudur: Landline/Mobile Number: 08624-250795
• Nellore: Mobile Number: 9063347961
• Ongole: Mobile Number: 7815909489
• Bapatla: Mobile Number: 7815909329
• Tenali: Mobile Number: 7815909463
• Vijayawada: Landline/Mobile Number: 0866-2575167
• Eluru: Mobile Number: 7569305268
• Rajahmundry: Mobile Number: 8331987657
• Samarlakota: Mobile Number: 7382383188
• Tuni: Mobile Number: 7815909479
• Anakapalli: Mobile Number: 7569305669
• Bhimavaram: Mobile Number: 7815909402
• Gudivada: Mobile Number: 7815909462

Source/SCR