South Coast Railway (SCoR) is likely to become a reality soon with the Central Government and the Railway Ministry bowing to the pressure exerted by Andhra Pradesh Government and public representatives to form the new railway zone.
Although not officially revealed, this could well be the name of the zone to be carved out of taking a division of the East Coastal Railway (ECR) and three out of South Central Railway (SCR), highly placed sources in Indian Railways indicated.
This is happening even as there is a section which says that it makes practical sense to have the new zonal headquarters at Amaravati/Vijayawada, instead of Visakhapatnam.
SCR divisions of Guntakal, Vijayawada and Guntur are to be carved out for the new zone.
Logistic reasons
But, places like Kurnool and Dhone could be retained in Hyderabad division and Jaggaiahpet in Secunderabad, because of logistic reasons and also because zones are not carved based on State boundaries.
Formation of new zone means it would be the centrally located for trains passing from north to south, east to south and from west to south originating from Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata onwards to Chennai, Bangalore and Kerala through junctions of Balharshah, Kazipet and Vijaywada.
Boundaries could extend up to Wadi with Central Railway & SCR, Gudur with Southern Railway, Pagidipalli with SCR, Katpadi with SR, Kondapalli with SCR, Bellary and Dharmavaram with South Western Railway, Dharmavaram with SWR
Incidentally, a high-powered committee set up by Indian Railways recommended against formation of separate zone pointing out that it would make ECR weaker because Waltair/Visakhapatnam division garners majority of revenue and other two divisions of Khurda Road and Sambalpur are relatively small.
Waltair division transcends over AP, Odisha and Chhattisgarh with 1,052 km route and 2,165 km of track plus 119 stations.
Officials contend 30% of this could be carved out for the new zone, whether route-wise or region-wise is not clear for now.
What is your opinion over the proposed new railway zone at Visakhapatnam? Is ‘South Coast Railway’ the appropriate name? Is it better to have the zonal headquarters at Amaravati/Vijayawada rather than Visakhapatnam? Please respond to our social media handles or twitter/facebook -@HydConnect, @VjaConnect & @VizagConnect...facebook handles.
