SRIKAKULAM/VISAKHAPATNAM: Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu unveiled the South Coast Railway Zone (SCoR) name board and formally inaugurated it at the AS Peta railway track near Ichchapuram Railway Station in Srikakulam on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, Ram Mohan Naidu said that with the establishment of the South Coast Railway Zone headquartered in Visakhapatnam, the long-standing aspiration of the people of Uttarandhra had finally been fulfilled. He expressed pride that the dream had been realised during his tenure as a Union Minister.
“I had raised this issue many times in Parliament and even staged protests at Ichchapuram Railway Station as a public representative. At one stage, I fought for it as a common representative of the people. Today, as a Union Minister, to see this dream fulfilled and to inaugurate the Zone myself is an unforgettable milestone in my life,” he said and recalled the efforts of late KYerran Naidu, who had worked relentlessly for the cause, and said their aspirations had now been realised.
Later, Ram Mohan Naidu said major development works were being taken up in Srikakulam district, including the sanctioning of more than 50 railway overbridges at a cost of Rs 3,300 crore.
Safety is top priority of new railway zone: GM
He highlighted that Ichchapuram had received a crucial overbridge and said the long-standing traffic problem in the town would be permanently resolved under the present coalition government.
He also said that the newly introduced Puri-Ahmedabad train service would start directly from Ichchapuram in the future.
District Collector Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar, Government Whip Bendalam Ashok, senior district officials, railway authorities, public representatives, local leaders and residents participated in the programme.
Safety top priority: GM
With the South Coast Railway (SCoR) officially commencing operations from its headquarters in Visakhapatnam, General Manager Sandeep Mathur said safety would remain the highest priority of the newly formed railway zone.
Addressing officers and staff on the occasion, Mathur expressed confidence that the new zone would contribute significantly to infrastructure development and economic activity across the region.
As part of the inaugural proceedings, the system map of South Coast Railway was unveiled, outlining the jurisdiction and network of the new zone.
A comprehensive safety review meeting was also held on the first day of operations. During the meeting, the General Manager stressed the importance of maintaining high safety standards across all railway activities.
The General Manager has said operational performance and infrastructure expansion should always be backed by strong safety practices.
Divisional Railway Managers of Waltair, Vijayawada, Guntur and Guntakal divisions made presentations on their respective divisions, covering asset management, human resource management and operational challenges.
