Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw officially notified the establishment of the South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone on May 9, 2026, marking the formal creation of India’s 18th railway zone. Headquartered in Visakhapatnam, the new zone is scheduled to become fully operational from June 1, 2026, fulfilling a long standing commitment to the state of Andhra Pradesh. This administrative restructuring aims to streamline rail operations and boost infrastructure development across the coastal and southern regions of the state.
Composition and Jurisdictional Changes
The South Coast Railway zone has been formed by reorganizing existing administrative boundaries of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) and the South Central Railway (SCR). It will comprise four key divisions: Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, and Guntakal. The Visakhapatnam division was created following the bifurcation of the erstwhile Waltair division, which was previously part of the East Coast Railway.
As part of this reorganization, the truncated portion of the Waltair division that remains outside the SCoR zone has been integrated into a newly formed Rayagada division under the East Coast Railway. This new division will manage rail operations in the tribal and mineral rich hinterlands of southern Odisha. The South Coast Railway will now oversee a vast network of tracks across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, ensuring a more localized approach to rail management.
Background and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act
The creation of the South Coast Railway zone is a fulfillment of the statutory commitment made under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. This act, which led to the creation of the state of Telangana, included a provision for the establishment of a new railway zone in the bifurcated state of Andhra Pradesh. Although the zone was announced by the central government in early 2019, the process of administrative notification and land acquisition for the headquarters took several years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the zonal headquarters at Visakhapatnam in January 2025, signaling the start of construction for the administrative building. The official notification by the Ministry of Railways on May 9, 2026, completes the legal formalities required for the zone to function as an independent administrative unit. This move addresses a decade long demand by the people of the region for a dedicated railway zone to focus on local connectivity and industrial logistics.
Infrastructure and Administrative Significance
The establishment of the South Coast Railway is expected to bring significant infrastructural upgrades to the rail network in coastal Andhra Pradesh. By having a zonal headquarters in Visakhapatnam, the railway administration can now focus on the specific needs of the Visakhapatnam Port and the Gangavaram Port, which are crucial for India’s maritime trade. The zone will also oversee the development of the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC), facilitating faster movement of freight and industrial raw materials.
Administratively, the creation of SCoR reduces the burden on the South Central Railway, headquartered in Secunderabad, and the East Coast Railway, headquartered in Bhubaneswar. This decentralization allows for quicker decision making regarding passenger services, safety upgrades, and station redevelopments within the new zone. The inclusion of the Guntakal division also brings a large portion of the Rayalaseema region under the administrative purview of Visakhapatnam, ensuring better integration of the state’s rail network.
Impact on Regional Rail Connectivity
Starting June 1, 2026, the South Coast Railway will assume full responsibility for train operations and passenger amenities across its four divisions. This shift is likely to result in the introduction of more local and express trains connecting the major cities of Andhra Pradesh, such as Vijayawada, Guntur, and Tirupati, directly to the state’s proposed executive capital, Visakhapatnam. The reorganization also settles long standing jurisdictional disputes between the East Coast Railway and the South Central Railway regarding the revenue sharing and maintenance of the Waltair division.
Future plans for the zone include the electrification of remaining track segments and the expansion of double tracking on high density routes. The Ministry of Railways has already allocated initial funds for the construction of the zonal office complex and housing for railway staff in Visakhapatnam. As the 18th railway zone of India, the South Coast Railway is poised to become a vital link in the country’s transportation backbone, supporting both the regional economy and the national logistical framework.
Key Takeaways
- The South Coast Railway (SCoR) is the 18th railway zone of Indian Railways, officially notified on May 9, 2026.
- The zone is headquartered in Visakhapatnam and will become fully operational from June 1, 2026.
- SCoR comprises four divisions: Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, and Guntakal.
- The establishment of the zone fulfills a statutory commitment under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
- The erstwhile Waltair division has been bifurcated, with a portion forming the new Rayagada division under the East Coast Railway.
- The Ministry of Railways is the nodal body responsible for the notification and administrative setup of the new zone.
