PM Modi to Kickstart Uttarandhra’s Dream

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to visit Andhra Pradesh for the first time after the NDA government came to power in June last year. Ahead of Modi’s visit on January 8th, there have been a lot expectations on fulfilment of some key promises made to the state before the elections. One of the them is long-cherished dream of Uttarandhra people – A Railway Zone in Vishakapatnam.

As per reports, Modi is going to lay the foundation stone for establishment of Railway Zone with Vishakapatnam as headquarters at AU Engineering College grounds during his visit. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and the railway authorities have already directed officials to make necessary arrangements for this event. Modi’s visit assumes much significance because railway zone works have been delayed for several years due to political reasons and the inaction of the state government in the last five years.

Establishment of new railway zone in Vishakapatnam was one of the key provisions in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014 at the time of bifurcation. In February 2019, the centre announced South Coast Railway Zone with Vishakapatnam as headquarters. However, operationalization of the zone has been delayed because the previous government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy neglected the proposal and didn’t transfer land to the railway department due to which the project didn’t take off.

With the NDA government returning to power at the centre and the state, the hopes of Uttarandhra people rekindled as the works for construction of railway zone picked up pace after Chandrababu assumed power as CM. The much-awaited work is all set to begin as tenders have been called for construction of the GM office in Vizag.
It has been decided to complete the project at a cost of ₹149 crore in two years.

South Coast Railway Zone will consist of Guntakal, Guntur and Vijayawada with headquarters at Visakhapatnam. While one part of Waltair division was proposed to be merged with the Rayagada division of the East Coast Railway, the residual part was proposed to be merged with Vijayawada division.