VIJAYAWADA: Railway Minister Piyush Goel has said that the issue of setting up a Railway Zone with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters is under the consideration of the Centre.Replying to a question on the floor of Rajya Sabha in New Delhi on Friday, Goel informed that the matter was at an advanced stage of consideration with the Centre. As the issue of establishing a Railway Zone in the residual state of Andhra Pradesh was mentioned in the AP State Reorganisation Act, 2014, the Andhra Pradesh government as well as the opposition parties have been mounting pressure on the Centre.
Though, the Centre denied the coveted Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh, despite it was mentioned in the AP State Reorganisation Act and announced Special Package in lieu of the Special Category Status, there was no progress with regard to the Railway Zone for the last three-and-half-years.
It was also observed that Odisha government, which is raising objections over Polavaram project, is also coming in the way of Visakhapatnam Railway Zone as the revenue of the East Coast Railway will get affected once another Railway zone is formed.
Going a step further on the delay over the Railway Zone, Srikakulam MP K Rammohan Naidu, who got the nod from Lok Sabha authorities, is also preparing to move a private member bill over the issue of Visakhapatnam Railway Zone. After going through the letter submitted by the MP to the Lok Sabha Speaker some time ago urging her to allow him to move the private member bill, the Lok Sabha Secretariat sent a reply to the TDP MP allowing to move the bill in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
A proposal to set up Railway Zone for Andhra Pradesh with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters, was mentioned in the AP State Reorganisation Act and the Srikakulam MP was allowed move the Bill in the name of Railway Zone Act, 2017.Creation of Visakhapatnam Railway Zone with Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal and Waltair Divisions will be proposed in the Bill.
Vizag MP to move pvt member’s bill in Parliament
Srikakulam MP K Rammohan Naidu, who got the nod from Lok Sabha authorities, is preparing to move a private member bill in Parliament over the issue of Visakhapatnam Railway Zone.