Third AC coaches increased for eight trains from Secunderabad and Vijayawada

Hyderabad: The South Central Railway (SCR) has announced the permanent addition of an extra Third AC coach to eight prominent train services operating in the region. This move, effective from July 13, is aimed at accommodating the increasing demand for air-conditioned travel among passengers.

Eight trains to get additional third AC coaches

The following train services will now operate with one extra Third AC coach:

• Guntur–Secunderabad Express (17201)

• Secunderabad–Guntur Express (17202)

• Secunderabad–Sirpur Kagaznagar Express (17233)

• Sirpur Kagaznagar–Secunderabad Express (17234)

• Vijayawada–Kacheguda Express (12713)

• Kacheguda–Vijayawada Express (12714)

• Vijayawada–Chennai Express (12711)

• Chennai–Vijayawada Express (12712)

Speaking about the decision, South Central Railway’s chief public relations officer (CPRO) CH Sridhar said, “The augmentation of Third AC coaches is a step toward enhancing passenger convenience. This addition is being made permanent based on continuous assessment of occupancy trends and passenger demand.”

Comfort and capacity prioritised

The move comes in response to a consistent increase in bookings for air-conditioned classes on short and medium-haul routes. Rail officials noted that the changes are intended to reduce waiting lists and improve availability during peak travel days, including weekends and holidays.

Operation Amanat: Helping recover lost phones

In a separate passenger-focused initiative, SCR is continuing efforts under its ‘Operation Amanat’ program—an internal mechanism to help passengers recover lost belongings, particularly mobile phones.

In June 2025, the SCR received 140 complaints related to lost mobile devices at stations and trains. Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel managed to trace and recover 25 of these devices and returned 14 of them to their rightful owners.

An official stated, “Most of the recovered devices were found in waiting halls, platforms and train coaches. We urge passengers to report losses promptly through helplines or the nearest RPF post to improve recovery chances.”

Reporting mechanism for lost property

Passengers who misplace items while travelling can report their losses via:

- RPF Helpline (139)

- Station-based complaint booths

- Online platforms such as the RailMadad portal

Recovered items are matched against reported descriptions and then returned to passengers upon verification.

The SCR has stated that both the coach augmentation and the passenger service initiatives are part of broader efforts to improve infrastructure and passenger experience. Officials are also reviewing additional routes where similar enhancements may be needed based on ridership data.