The long-standing expectation of the people of North Andhra Pradesh is about to materialise as Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to lay the foundation stone for the South Coastal Railway (S Co R) Zonal Headquarters in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. This moment marks a historic milestone for the region, which has been advocating for a dedicated railway zone for decades.
Setbacks in fund allocation, staffing and more
According to a report by The Hindu, rail activists and trade union leaders, who have long fought for a separate railway zone headquartered in Visakhapatnam, have welcomed the development but caution against complacency. They have highlighted that the Waltair Division has already suffered setbacks in fund allocation, staffing, and new railway projects. The priority now is to ensure the South Coastal Railway (S Co R) is operationalised without further delays.
The delay in making the S Co R functional has led to vacant positions in the Waltair Division being transferred to Khurda and Sambalpur Divisions in Odisha. Former East Coast Railway Shramik Union General Secretary Chalasani Gandhi brought this issue to Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat, who has since raised it with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Gandhi suggested that the existing railway infrastructure, such as the recently constructed five-storey Gati Shakti building near the railway station, could temporarily house the S Co R General Manager’s office until the headquarters building is completed, the report said.
Other pressing matters include maintaining the Waltair Division with its headquarters in Visakhapatnam and expediting the approval of the Detailed Project Report (DPR), which remains pending with the Railway Board.