Railway Zone Realignment: East Coast Railway Loses Key Section to South Coast Railway
In a significant administrative reshuffle, the jurisdiction of the Bhubaneswar-headquartered East Coast Railway (ECoR) has been reduced. The Railways Ministry has decided to transfer the Ichchapuram–Palasa section of the Khurda Road division to the proposed Visakhapatnam division of the South Coast Railway (SCoR), according to an official letter issued on Thursday.
Official Notification and Boundary Review
Rameshwar Meena, Executive Director of the Railway Board, communicated this decision in a letter addressed to the general managers of both the ECoR and SCoR. The letter stated that the jurisdiction of the proposed South Coast Railway has undergone a thorough review. "In partial modification, it has now been decided by the competent authority to also include the Palasa-Ichchapuram section, including Ichchapuram station, in the proposed Visakhapatnam division of the South Coast Railway," the letter explicitly mentioned.
Meena further instructed the general managers to provide advice to the Railway Board regarding the proposed new boundary between the Visakhapatnam division and the Khurda Road division. This move necessitates a clear demarcation of administrative control and operational responsibilities.
Section Details and Geographic Impact
The Ichchapuram-Palasa section spans a distance of approximately 50 kilometers. This stretch includes five intermediate stations, which are:
- Jhadupudi
- Sompeta
- Baruva
- Mandasa Road
- Summadevi
The transfer of this section effectively shifts these stations from the East Coast Railway's Khurda Road division to the South Coast Railway's Visakhapatnam division, impacting regional railway administration.
Political Response and Public Aspiration
Union Civil Aviation Minister and Srikakulam MP K Ram Mohan Naidu shared the Railways Ministry's letter on his social media platform, expressing his elation over the inclusion of more railway stations in the Visakhapatnam division of the South Coast Railway. "This has been a long-pending aspiration of our people, and I have been consistently pursuing it since the zone's announcement in 2019," Naidu stated.
He extended his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on behalf of the residents of Srikakulam. "I sincerely thank PM Narendra Modi and railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on behalf of the people of Srikakulam for this thoughtful decision," he added, highlighting the decision's significance for local communities.
Expected Benefits and Administrative Efficiency
Naidu emphasized that stations such as Palasa, Baruva, Jhadupudi, Summadevi, Sompeta, Mandasa Road, and Ichchapuram will now fall under the South Coast Railway zone. This reorganization is anticipated to enhance administrative efficiency and improve railway services for the people of Srikakulam district. The realignment aims to streamline operations and potentially boost connectivity and infrastructure development in the region.
The decision marks a pivotal step in the ongoing restructuring of India's railway zones, reflecting efforts to optimize management and service delivery across different regions.
