South Coast Railway Zone to begin operations soon

Vijayawada: Minister for railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that operations of the long-awaited Visakhapatnam-based South Coast Railway Zone will commence soon, marking a significant step in strengthening railway infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the minister said that the Andhra Pradesh government had already handed over 52.2 acre land at Mudasarlova in Visakhapatnam to the railways in August 2024. An amount of Rs 106.89 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of the South Coast Railway Zone headquarters.

He noted that the foundation stone for the zone was laid in January 2025, and groundwork for the headquarters building has already been completed. In the interim, administrative operations will begin from the VMRDA building ‘The Deck’, which has been readied for the purpose.

The minister added that appointments for key positions, including the General Manager and other senior officials, will be finalised soon to ensure smooth functioning of the new zone.

The South Coast Railway Zone, headquartered in Visakhapatnam, was first announced in 2019 following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.

The demand for a separate railway zone had been a long-standing issue in the state, aimed at improving administrative efficiency and boosting regional development. However, the project saw delays over land allocation and administrative clearances.

Highlighting the Centre’s focus on railway development in the state, Vaishnaw said budget allocations for Andhra Pradesh have seen a sharp rise, from an average of Rs 886 crore between 2009 and 2014 to a record Rs 9,417 crore for 2025–26.

He also pointed out that the pace of railway track construction has doubled in recent years, with an average of 143 km of new track being laid annually.

Among key projects, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 2,047 crore for the 57-km Errupalem–Amaravati–Namburu railway line, for which land acquisition has begun. Currently, 39 railway projects worth Rs 70,232 crore — including new lines and doubling works — are under execution in the state.

Major ongoing works include the third railway line between Vijayawada and Gudur, and doubling of the Guntakal–Guntur route, both of which are progressing at a fast pace, the minister said.