Vijayawada |The Godavari Express, a popular overnight train that connects the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on a daily basis, has completed 50 years of operation on Friday.

The Vijayawada Division of the South Central Railway (SCR) Zone commemorated the golden jubilee run of the Godavari Express, which connects Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh with Hyderabad in Telangana, an official said.

Vijayawada Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Narendra A Patil marked the 50th year of operation of Train Number 12727/28 (Godavari Express) on Thursday night at 11 pm on platform number 6, upon its arrival from Visakhapatnam. He was accompanied by officials, railway fans and enthusiasts.

"Trains are a part of the rich legacy of Indian Railways and deserve to be celebrated with great pride, " Patil said in a press release. "Initially the maximum speed of Godavari Express was 50 kmph and was raised to a staggering 130 kmph over the years in permissible sections of the Vijayawada and Secunderabad Divisions." He noted that Godavari Express, which first ran on February 1, 1974, continues to be a favourite train of the masses, considering its convenient hours of operation and punctuality.

As part of the commemoration, representatives of SCR Rail Fans presented mementos to the DRM, railway officials and the crew of Godavari Express.

The popular train covers a distance of 706 km between the port city and Hyderabad, crossing 17 railway stations in between.

Hundreds of people from Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts board the Godavari Express for Secunderabad every day. The train's occupancy rate is 125 per cent on average.