After four decades of struggle, South Coast Railway Zone begins operations today in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam: The South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone, headquartered in Visakhapatnam, will officially begin operations on Monday. Standing as the country’s 18th railway zone, its operationalisation marks the fulfilment of a long-pending political and administrative demand for the people of Andhra Pradesh.The demand for a separate railway zone with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters spans at least four decades. The agitation intensified in 1996 when the East Coast Railway (ECoR) zone was created with its headquarters in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Consequently, the highly profitable Waltair division was placed under ECoR control in 2003.Alleging stepmotherly treatment and historical injustice regarding infrastructure development, budget allocations, and train connectivity, a united front of local citizens, railway unions, and politicians formed the Railway Zone Sadhana Samithi, which for years organised relentless protests and strikes to voice their grievances.The movement achieved its first major breakthrough in 2014 during the bifurcation of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, when the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act officially mandated that the Central govt examine and establish a new railway zone for the residuary state.Following sustained public pressure, the Union govt announced the creation of the South Coast Railway zone in Feb 2019. After a few years of administrative planning and restructuring the old Waltair division, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the permanent zonal headquarters in early 2025.Speaking to TOI, senior railway trade union leader Chalasani Gandhi recalled the early days of the struggle. “An all-party committee was constituted back in the 1980s to fight for this railway zone. The then senior Congress leader and former MP Dronamraju Satyanarayana served as the chairman of that committee, while I served as the convenor. Prominent leaders of the day, such as former MP MVVS Murthi and former Union minister Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu, frequently chaired these crucial meetings. We are happy that the four-decade-long dream has finally become a reality. It is a moment of immense pride for every citizen of Andhra Pradesh,” said Gandhi.The New Territorial RealignmentThe establishment of SCoR has resulted in a major three-way restructuring of regional railway jurisdictions across neighbouring networks. It now exercises jurisdiction over the existing Guntakal, Guntur, and Vijayawada divisions transferred from SCR, alongside the truncated and renamed Visakhapatnam division, which formerly existed as the Waltair division.Meanwhile, the neighbouring East Coast Railway retains the Sambalpur division, a reorganised Khurda Road division, and the newly formed Rayagada division which absorbed the inland portions of the old Waltair division.The SCR retains the Hyderabad and Nanded divisions, alongside a newly reorganised Secunderabad division to round out the new administrative map.Describing June 1 as a landmark date for the people of Andhra Pradesh, TDP state president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao said the formal commencement of the zone represents the culmination of decades of public struggle and aspirations. He appealed to citizens to mark the occasion in every constituency, village, and railway station by sharing sweets and commemorating the historic victory for the people of the state.Infographics:The new zone covers a rail network of nearly 3,500 km.It is made up of four divisions: Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal, and the newly organised Visakhapatnam division.The Palasa–Ichchapuram rail section was transferred away from Odisha’s control and added to the Visakhapatnam division in the last minute.Initial operations will run out of the VMRDA “The Deck” building in Siripuram until the permanent office in Mudasarlova is built.Indian Railways has officially updated its national logo to feature 18 stars to welcome the new zone.Ends//