Centre Clears Vizag Railway Zone, Big Boost For North Andhra

Visakhapatnam has finally crossed a major milestone with the Centre issuing the official gazette notification for the South Coast Railway Zone.

The new zone will be headquartered in Visakhapatnam, with operations set to begin from June 1, 2026. This move brings to life a long-pending demand of North Andhra, which has been waiting for a dedicated railway zone for years.

As part of the reorganisation, Guntakal, Guntur and Vijayawada divisions will come under the new zone. These divisions have been carved out from South Central Railway and East Coast Railway. Some sections from the Rayagada division have also been included.

Several key rail routes will now fall under the Visakhapatnam division, including Palasa–Ichchapuram, Ichchapuram–Duvvada–Vizianagaram, Naupada–Parlakimidi–Bobbili–Salur and the Simhachalam–Vadlapudi–Visakhapatnam stretch. The Koraput–Kirandul line will be jointly managed with the Rayagada division.

On the ground, preparations are already underway. A permanent headquarters is planned at Arilova, while a temporary General Manager office is currently functioning from the VMRDA complex.

The journey to this point has taken several years. The proposal was first announced in 2019 but faced delays. The detailed project report was cleared in early 2025, followed by the foundation stone. With the gazette notification now in place, the zone is moving into the operational stage.

Staffing is also progressing. Around 3,000 employees have opted for the new zone so far, and the total workforce is expected to reach about 17,000 once fully functional.

For North Andhra, this is more than an administrative change. It is expected to improve coordination, strengthen railway infrastructure and support regional development.

After years of waiting, the Vizag railway zone is finally on track to become a working reality.