After more than a decade of the bifurcation of the state, the Central government has taken measures following the AP Reorganization Act on the creation of a new railway zone Visakhapatnam as its headquarters. It may be recalled that last month only Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formally laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Zonal Headquarters office building.
The Indian Railway Ministry has decided the boundaries of the South Coastal Railway Zone with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters. The Center has issued fresh orders considering the appeal of the coalition government. It also renamed the Waltair Railway Division as Visakhapatnam Railway Division.
Fresh orders have also been released changing the boundaries of the Visakhapatnam Division. Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur and Guntakal divisions will come under the South Coastal Railway Zone. The boundaries of the South Coastal Railway Zone formed with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters have been decided as 410 kilometers.
The AP railway stations previously located in Waltair have been transferred to Visakhapatnam. The Railway Ministry has decided to convert the Kondapalli – Motumarri section from Secunderabad division to Vijayawada division. Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur and Guntakal divisions will come under the South Coastal Railway Zone.
The Centre has also issued orders finalizing the scope of Rayagada Railway Division. Railway officials have added 410 km to the Visakhapatnam division. Some routes in Rayagada Railway Division have been brought under the Visakhapatnam Railway Division. The scope of the two divisions has been finalized.
With the new formation of Visakhapatnam Railway Division, it has been changed to the South Coastal Railway Zone. The center has stated that the entire railway track from Palasa to Visakhapatnam Duvvada, Kuleru to Vizianagaram, Navapadu Junction will be in the Visakhapatnam Railway Division. Simhachalam North to Duvvada Bypass. Vadlapudi to Duvvada-Visakhapatnam Steel Plant will come under the Visakhapatnam Railway Division.
Some routes in the Rayagada Railway Division have been brought under the Visakhapatnam Railway Division. Earlier, Guntur, Guntakal and Vijayawada Railway Divisions were under the South Intra Railway. Now, the center has issued orders bringing all these under the South Coastal Railway.
