VISAKHAPATNAM: As elections are over, the demand for retaining Waltair division in Visakhapatnam Railway Zone has gathered momentum. Uttarandhra Charcha Vedika has urged Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to retain the division in the new South Coastal Zone as per wishes of the people. Vedika convener Konathala Ramakrishna said an all-party meeting will be convened soon to get support in this regard .Speaking to mediapersons here on Monday, Ramakrishna said in a memorandum sent to Piyush Goyal that they have urged the Union minister to retain the division, as never before was a division abolished to set up a zone.
He said the decision to split the Waltair Division and merger of the residual portion of the division with Vijayawada Division was totally unacceptable to the already suppressed Uttarandhra region. A new railway zone with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters was a result of decades of struggle by the people of this region, he added. He said the decision to form Rayagada, carved out of Waltair Division, was appreciable to placate the demands of Odisha and East Coastal Railway.
He also said the Waltair Division came into existence when Visakhapatnam Port expanded with opening of outer harbour and construction of KK line was taken up. It became operationally difficult for Khurda Division to manage such a huge undivided divisional railway set up. Furthermore, Visakhapatnam is the largest city in the State with a lion’s share of GDP and tax revenues coming from this city due to industries.
He said in the Waltair Division, there are 18,000 employees of whom 11,000 stay in Visakhapatnam in establishments such as DRM office, Coaching Complex, Electric Loco Shed, Diesel Loco Shed, Port Siding, Carriage and Wagon workshop and the like. They might even be shifted to Vijayawada Division, which will cause enormous burden on them and their families, he added.
He said an enlarged Vijayawada Division will become one of the highly unstable and operationally-difficult divisions. He said the Waltair Division should be retained within the jurisdiction of Ichapuram-Rajamundry, Kottavalasa-Koraput, Vizianagaram-Kuneru, Naupada-Gunupur, Pithapuram-Kakinada, Kakinada-Kotipalli, NTPC, Visakhapatnam Port, Gangavaram Port and NTPC sidings. Similarly, Rayagada Division jurisdiction should be Koraput-Kirandul, Koraput-Rayagada and Theruvali-Kuneru. Ramakrishna urged Goyal to consider the demand and to make an announcement soon.
10-day awareness campaign
Waltair Division is observing a 10-days awareness campaign from May 28 to June 6 to mark International Level Crossing Awareness Day. The campaign will be with the motto “Life is more precious than time.”