North Andhra people keep their fingers crossed

Vizianagaram: The people of north Andhra are keeping their fingers crossed to see whether railway budget, which will be presented by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday, will clear decks for a new railway zone Visakhapatnam as headquarters.

It may be recalled that a new railway zone, which is to be established in Andhra Pradesh, is an important issue mentioned in Andhra Pradesh State Bifurcation Bill and the public, public representatives, civil society organisations also demanding for the same for the past few years.

Before general elections, even the BJP also promised that if it comes to power it would support Andhra Pradesh in all aspects. But after bifurcation, the MPs of various constituencies are raising their voices as per their wish and their local interests.

Notably, Narsaraopeta MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao’s statement against locating the headquarters of the railway zone in Visakhapatnam on the pretext that the place is vulnerable to cyclones and that the facility would be blown away has strongly been criticised by political leaders, students and youth organisations. Meanwhile, MPs of Vizag and Anakapalli K Haribabu and M Srinivasa Rao demanded that the new zone should be set up in Visakhapatnam only.

Ministers P Ashoka Gajapathi Raju, Sujana Chowdary exuded confidence on the Union government and said: “We are hopeful that the Centre would honour our wish and clear the long pending demand, but so far none of them got any information from the Union government.”

Convener of Uttarandhra Rakshna Vedika S Siva Sankar said: “It’s our demand to establish the new zone in Visakhapatnam only. But due to lack of political commitment, we could not get it. If the Central government won’t announce new railway zone, we would stage protests. It is the responsibility of the Union government to fulfil their promises.”