The South Coast Railway (SCoR), India’s 18th railway zone, headquartered in Visakhapatnam, has officially started operating. This new zone fulfills a long-standing desire of the people in North Coastal Andhra for dedicated railway administration and infrastructure development. Covering Andhra Pradesh, parts of Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, the SCoR includes railway divisions of Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, and Guntakal.
The establishment of the SCoR is expected to enhance connectivity and freight transportation in the region by expanding railway infrastructure. It aims to create employment opportunities and promote balanced regional development. The new zone resulted from the reorganization of sections of the former South Central Railway (SCR) and East Coast Railway (ECoR) zones.
With 385 railway stations and around 62,000 staff members, the South Coast Railway Zone anticipates an annual revenue of approximately Rs 15,500 crore. During operations, it plans to manage over 500 passenger trains and 800 goods trains. Additionally, the zone is set to improve cargo movement and multimodal logistics by linking major ports such as Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Krishnapatnam, Kakinada, and the upcoming Mulapeta Port.
The Centre recently issued a gazette notification establishing the South Coast Railway Zone. This move involved reorganizing Guntakal, Guntur, and Vijayawada, which were divisions of the South Central Railway, into the new railway zone. The Waltair Division of the East Coast Railway has been renamed the Visakhapatnam Division and restructured.
Leaders from various political parties have praised the commencement of operations of the South Coast Railway Zone, considering it a historic milestone for Andhra Pradesh, particularly North Coastal Andhra. Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu and State Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu expressed optimism about the zone’s transformative impact on transportation and employment in North Andhra.
