Visakhapatnam: The newly created South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone is set to commence full-fledged operations from April 1, with administrative activities shifting to its new premises in Visakhapatnam.
Though the zone was announced by the Railway Board in 2019, it is yet to receive a formal gazette notification. However, officials of the South Central Railway (SCR) have reportedly been informed that the new zone will begin functioning from the start of the new financial year.
Divisional Reorganisation
The new SCoR zone will comprise:
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Vijayawada Division (from SCR)
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Guntur Division (from SCR)
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Guntakal Division (from SCR)
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Visakhapatnam Division, carved out of the erstwhile Waltair Division
A significant portion—around 680 km of the 1,106 km Waltair Division, including the key freight corridor Kothavalasa–Kirandul line and Araku section—will merge into the newly formed Rayagada Division of the East Coast Railway.
Following the restructuring, SCR will retain only three divisions: Secunderabad, Hyderabad and Nanded. Its route length will shrink from 6,532 km to approximately 3,044 km, along with the loss of major freight revenue corridors.
Headquarters and Infrastructure
The temporary zonal headquarters will operate from two floors at ‘The Deck’ building of the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA). The General Manager’s office will occupy 41,500 sq ft, accommodating around 30 senior officers and over 700 staff members.
A permanent zonal headquarters building is under construction at Mudasarlova in Visakhapatnam.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently stated during the Union Budget session that the ministry is fast-tracking work on operationalising the new zone headquartered in Visakhapatnam.
Network Size and Operations
The new zone will oversee:
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Vijayawada Division: 956 km route / 1,654 km running track
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Guntakal Division: 1,452 km route / 2,145 km running track
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Guntur Division: 630 km route / 661 km running track
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Visakhapatnam Division: 450 km route / 810 km running track
The zone is expected to operate over 500 trains during peak season and manage substantial passenger and freight movement.
Rolling Stock & Maintenance Assets
SCoR will inherit significant operational assets, including:
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Passenger coach care depot at Visakhapatnam
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Wagon maintenance depots at Vijayawada and Gooty
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Electric loco sheds at Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam
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Diesel loco sheds at Guntakal, Gooty, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada
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Electric loco trip sheds at Guntakal and Renigunta
The zone is expected to have approximately 17,000 employees across 18 departments, covering operations, engineering, mechanical, electrical, finance, medical and commercial functions.
Strategic Significance
The formation of South Coast Railway is seen as a major administrative restructuring aimed at improving operational efficiency and accelerating infrastructure development in Andhra Pradesh. By decentralising management and placing the headquarters in Visakhapatnam, the move is expected to strengthen regional railway planning and service delivery.
While local officials have acknowledged the developments, formal confirmation from higher authorities is awaited.
