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Araku railway station

Araku railway station in Kothavalasa–Kirandul line in Andhra Pradesh 06
Araku railway station in Kothavalasa–Kirandul line in Andhra Pradesh 06 Image: Wikimedia Commons. Pinakpani / CC BY 4.0

Overview

Araku railway station is a railway station serving the hill town of Araku in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It lies on the Kothavalasa–Kirandul (KK) line, a metre of the East Coast Railway network noted for its scenic traverse of the Eastern Ghats. The station is best known as a stop on the popular tourist train service operated between Visakhapatnam and Araku Valley.

Key facts

Name Araku railway station
Location Araku, Alluri Sitharama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh
Country India
Line Kothavalasa–Kirandul line
Operator Indian Railways
Zone East Coast Railway

Background

The Kothavalasa–Kirandul line was developed primarily to move iron ore from the Bailadila mines in the Bastar region of present-day Chhattisgarh to the port of Visakhapatnam. The route passes through dense forest, deep valleys and a series of tunnels in the Eastern Ghats, with Araku among the prominent intermediate stations on the Andhra Pradesh section.

Araku Valley itself, situated at an elevation of roughly 900 metres above sea level, is a hill station inhabited largely by Adivasi communities and is known for its coffee plantations, waterfalls and the Borra Caves located nearby. The railway line and the station have made the valley accessible to travellers from coastal Andhra Pradesh and beyond.

Services and significance

The station is served by passenger services running on the Kothavalasa–Kirandul section, including the daily tourist-oriented service that connects Visakhapatnam with Araku. The journey is widely regarded as one of the most scenic rail routes in India, traversing numerous tunnels and bridges as it climbs through the Ghats. Tourism is a major function of the station, complementing the line's freight role of hauling iron ore.

Visitors arriving at Araku station typically continue to nearby attractions such as the Borra Caves, Padmapuram Botanical Garden, Katiki Waterfalls and the tribal museum at Araku.

References

  • Wikidata: Q19787201
  • Indian Railways, East Coast Railway Zone — official information on the Kothavalasa–Kirandul section.