VIJAYAWADA: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday clarified that the Centre had not changed its plans regarding the establishment of South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters. The clarification came after media reports, stating that the Centre was stepping back from establishing the new railway zone, emerged a day after Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla conducted a high-level meeting in Delhi on the pending issues between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
“Please do not believe any rumours,” Vaishnaw said in Delhi when asked about the reports.“This (new railway zone) is a commitment that the Central government has made. Land has already been identified and the cost estimates for the construction have also been finalised,” the minister said.
Stating that finding sufficient land for such projects is usually the primary challenge, Vaishnaw explained that they have surpassed that hurdle and identified land near Vizag Divisional Railway Manager’s (DRM) office itself. The Union Ministry also elaborated on the architectural plan for SCoR zone headquarters submitted for scrutiny by the Railways Architect.
Land identified, cost estimates for works over
The statement said the South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone would comprise of existing Guntakal, Guntur and Vijayawada Divisions. A part of Waltair Division would be merged with Vijayawada and the remaining portion would be made a new Division with headquarters at Rayagada under East Coast Railway (ECoR) Zone. The South Central Railway would comprise of existing Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Nanded Divisions.
“On the issue of formation of the new railway zone with its headquarters at Visakhapatnam, it is to bring to your kind notice that an officer on special duty (OSD) was posted at Visakhapatnam and directed to undertake planning and preparatory work for formation of the new zone,” it said.
The OSD has submitted a detailed project report (DPR) and it is currently under review. “An Umbrella Work titled “Creation of New South Coast Railway Zone and New Rayagada Division in East Coast Railway” was also included in Budget 2020-21 with an estimated cost of `170 crore,’’ the statement said.
“In order to fast-track the process, Railways has also been directed to take up suitable work for preliminary activities like land survey, preparation of complete layout plan of SCoR/HQs office complex, residential colonies and other construction pre-requisites,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the BJP as well as the YSRC rubbished media reports and termed them ‘malicious.’
YSRC MP V Vijayasai Reddy found fault with the reports and said he will resign from his post if the new railway zone is not established.
“There was no discussion regarding the railway zone during the meeting in Delhi. The reports are malicious and misleading,” he asserted. BJP MLC PVN Madhav maintained that the process of establishing a new railway zone was underway after the Union Cabinet approved it. “Works related to it are being carried out. Even the Union Railway Minister categorically denied all rumours on the issue,” he said.