EAST COAST RAILWAY EXTENDS WEEKLY SPECIAL TRAINS TO MANAGE PASSENGER RUSH In a bid to accommodate the growing demand for train travel and ensure passenger comfort, East Coast Railway has announced the extension of several weekly special trains for the upcoming period. The special services will operate from February 2026 to clear the extra rush of passengers on key routes. 1. Visakhapatnam - SMV Bengaluru - Visakhapatnam Weekly Special Trains (08581/08582) Train No. 08581 (Visakhapatnam - SMV Bengaluru Special Express) will depart Visakhapatnam every Sunday at 15:20 hrs from 01.02.2026 to 22.02.2026. It will reach Duvvada at 16:00 hrs, depart at 16:02 hrs, and arrive at SMV Bengaluru the next day at 12:45 hrs. (Total: 4 trips) Train No. 08582 (SMV Bengaluru - Visakhapatnam Special Express) will leave SMVT Bengaluru every Monday at 15:50 hrs from 02.02.2026 to 23.02.2026. It will reach Duvvada the next day at 12:40 hrs, depart at 12:42 hrs, and reach Visakhapatnam at 13:30 hrs. (Total: 4 trips) Stoppages: Duvvada, Anakapalli, Yelamanchili, Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Vijayawada, Ongole, Nellore, Gudur, Renigunta, Katapadi, Jolarpetai, Kuppam, Bangarpet, Krishnarajapuram. Composition: 2nd AC - 02, 3rd AC - 03, 3rd AC Economy - 02, Sleeper Class - 08, General Second Class – 04, Second Class cum Luggage/Divyangjan - 01, Luggage/Generator/Brake Van - 01. 2. Sambalpur - Erode - Sambalpur Weekly Special Trains (08311/08312) Train No. 08311 (Sambalpur - Erode Weekly Special) will leave Sambalpur every Wednesday at 11:35 hrs from 04.02.2026 to 25.02.2026. It will reach Duvvada at 21:30 hrs, depart at 21:32 hrs, and arrive at Erode at 22:50 hrs. (Total: 4 trips) Train No. 08312 (Erode - Sambalpur Weekly Special) will leave Erode every Friday at 14:35 hrs from 06.02.2026 to 27.02.2026. It will reach Duvvada at 13:08 hrs, depart at 13:10 hrs, and reach Sambalpur at 23:15 hrs. (Total: 4 trips) Stoppages: Bargarh Road, Balangir, Titlagarh, Kesinga, Muniguda, Singapuram Road, Rayagada, Parvathipuram, Bobbili, Vizianagaram Jn, Kottavalasa, Duvvada, Anakapalli, Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Nidadavolu, Bhimavaram Town, Kaikalur, Gudivada, Vijayawada, Tenali, Chirala, Ongole, Nellore, Gudur, Perambur, Arakkonam, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem. Composition: 2nd AC - 01, 3rd AC - 03, Sleeper Class - 09, General Second Class - 04, Second Class cum Luggage/Disabled Coaches - 02, Pantry/Kitchen Car/Buffet Car - 01. 3. Thiruvananthapuram North - Santragachi Weekly Special Train (06081/06082) Train No. 06081 (Thiruvananthapuram North - Santragachi Weekly Special) will depart Thiruvananthapuram North every Friday at 16:20 hrs from 30.01.2026 to 20.02.2026. It will reach Duvvada the next day at 22:50 hrs, depart at 22:52 hrs, and arrive at Santragachi at 14:15 hrs on Sunday. (Total: 4 trips) Train No. 06082 (Santragachi - Thiruvananthapuram North Weekly Special) will leave Santragachi every Monday at 14:20 hrs from 02.02.2026 to 23.02.2026. It will reach Duvvada the next day at 04:18 hrs, depart at 04:20 hrs, and arrive at Thiruvananthapuram North at 09:55 hrs on Wednesday. (Total: 4 trips) Stoppages: Duvvada, Vizianagaram, Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Bhadrak. Composition: 3rd AC - 02, Sleeper Class - 16, General Second Class Sitting - 02, Second Class cum Luggage Van – 02.

INDIAN RAILWAYS ANNOUNCES REVISED TIMINGS FOR KEY TRAINS OVER KHURDA ROAD DIVISION In a recent update, Indian Railways has revised the Public Time Table (PTT) timings for three major trains running over the Khurda Road Division. The new schedules for Train Nos 18118 (Gunpur - Rourkela Rajyarani Express), 12253 (SMV Bengaluru - Bhagalpur Weekly Express), and 22856 (Tirupati - Santragachi Weekly Express) will come into effect immediately. Train No. 18118 (Gunpur - Rourkela Rajyarani Express) will now arrive at Khurda Road at 21:20 hrs and depart at 21:40 hrs. The previous timings were arrival at 20:58 hrs and departure at 21:00 hrs. Train No. 12253 (SMV Bengaluru - Bhagalpur Weekly Express) will maintain its arrival time at Bhadrak at 18:16 hrs but the departure has been adjusted to 18:18 hrs. The existing schedule had the train passing through Bhadrak at 18:16 hrs. Train No. 22856 (Tirupati - Santragachi Weekly Express) will now arrive at Bhadrak at 18:16 hrs and depart at 18:18 hrs. The previous arrival was at 18:26 hrs, with departure at 18:28 hrs. Passengers are advised to check the revised timings and plan their travel accordingly.

ROURKELA-JAGDALPUR INTERCITY EXPRESS WITH ADDITIONAL COACH In response to the increased travel demand during the Sankranti festive season, East Coast Railway has announced the temporary augmentation of several trains to accommodate the extra rush and ensure a more comfortable journey for passengers. Train No. 18107 Rourkela–Jagdalpur Intercity Express will be augmented with one additional Sleeper Class coach on January 22, 2026. Train No. 18447 Bhubaneswar–Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express will be supplemented with one Sleeper Class coach from January 24, 2026 to January 31, 2026. In the return direction, Train No. 18448 Jagdalpur–Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express will also be augmented with one Sleeper Class coach from January 25, 2026 to February 1, 2026. This temporary increase in capacity aims to manage the higher-than-usual passenger demand during the festive period. East Coast Railway encourages passengers to make use of these enhanced services and to plan their travel accordingly.

EXPERIMENTAL STOPPAGE OF BRAHMAPUR-VISAKHAPATNAM EXPRESS AT TILARU STATION In a move designed to improve rail connectivity and enhance convenience for passengers, the East Coast Railway has introduced an experimental stoppage for the Brahmapur–Visakhapatnam–Brahmapur Express (Train No. 18525/18526) at Tilaru Railway Station. The new stoppage was inaugurated today at 11:50 AM by Shri K. Ram Mohan Naidu, Hon’ble Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, along with Shri K. Atchannaidu, Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture, Co-operation, Marketing & Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries, Government of Andhra Pradesh, and Shri B. Ramanamurthy, Hon’ble MLA, Narasannapeta. The ceremony was also attended by Shri Lalit Bohra, Divisional Railway Manager, and other dignitaries. This new halt at Tilaru is expected to significantly benefit passengers from Tilaru and its surrounding areas, offering them better access to major destinations such as Visakhapatnam, Brahmapur, and several other intermediate stations along the route. The decision to implement this experimental stoppage comes in response to the long-standing demands of local commuters and public representatives. Passenger-Focused Initiative East Coast Railway has emphasized its ongoing commitment to enhancing passenger amenities and improving connectivity through such passenger-centric initiatives. The performance and effectiveness of this experimental stoppage will be reviewed periodically, based on passenger feedback and the operational feasibility of the service. Other New Train Halts In addition to the stoppage at Tilaru, East Coast Railway has also introduced experimental halts for other trains: Train No. 12844 Ahmedabad–Puri SF Express will make an experimental stop at Ichchapuram at 03:58 AM, departing at 04:00 AM, starting from January 17, 2026. In the return direction, Train No. 12843 Puri–Ahmedabad SF Express will halt at Ichchapuram at 8:59 PM, departing at 9:01 PM. Train No. 22819 Bhubaneswar New–Visakhapatnam Intercity Express will stop at Baruva at 10:50 AM, departing at 10:51 AM, starting from January 18, 2026. In the return direction, Train No. 22820 Visakhapatnam–Bhubaneswar New Intercity Express will stop at Baruva at 8:08 PM, departing at 8:09 PM. These new stoppages aim to improve rail access for passengers traveling between important stations in the region and to meet the increasing demand for better connectivity. East Coast Railway continues to prioritize the needs of the public by introducing these experimental halts, ensuring a more accessible and convenient travel experience for all.