Chandrababu Naidu’s big gift to the state : The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the South Coastal Railway Zone at Visakhapatnam. The Voltaire division is shortened and included. This will be the 18th zone of the railways. This is a big step towards strengthening the infrastructure of the railways. The decision has been taken under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. It also fulfils the commitment made by Parliament. This sector will improve the functioning of the railways. Services will be better and regional connectivity will be strengthened. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s party Telugu Desam (TDP) is a BJP-led NDA government. This approval is a big gift to Andhra Pradesh.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav informed about the decision taken in the cabinet. He said the cabinet has approved the South Coast Railway Sector. PM Modi gave this information during his visit to Visakhapatnam. Apart from this, Raigarh Division has also been made in the East Coast Railway Zone.
Along with the South Coastal Railway Area, a new railway division, Raigad Railway Division, has also been created under the Eastern Coastal Railway. This will improve rail services and operations in the region. Voltaire Division has been renamed as Visakhapatnam Railway Division. The name comes from the colonial period. This change reflects the modernisation efforts. This is a deviation from the Colonial Naming Convention. This is the beginning of a new era for the railways.
People of Andhra Pradesh will benefit
The people of Andhra Pradesh will benefit greatly from the creation of this area. The laying of new rail lines will be expedited. New employment opportunities will be created. Trade and industry will be boosted. Passengers will get better and modern facilities. This will lead to the overall development of the region. Visakhapatnam will be developed as a major railway centre. This will lead to the economic development of the city.
Raigarh division will improve rail connectivity between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. This will help in the movement of people in the area. Tourism and trade will also be boosted. This is an important step for the development of the region. The government aims to connect every part of the country to the rail network. This will lead to the development of the country and improve the standard of living of the people. This step is an important step towards Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
What are the zones and divisions in railways?
Currently, the Indian Railways has 17 zones and 68 divisions. These areas are: Central Railway (Mumbai, Bhusawal, Nagpur, Solapur, Pune); Eastern Railway (Asansol, Howrah, Sealdah, Maldah); Eastern Central Railway (Sonpur, Samastipur, Danapur, Dhanbad and Mughalsarai); Eastern Coast Railway (Khurda Road, Sambalpur, Valtyre); Northern Railway (Ambala, Delhi, Lucknow, Moradabad, Fairozpur); North Central Railway (Prayagraj, Agra, Jhansi); North Eastern Railway (Lucknow, Izatnagar, Varanasi); North Eastern Frontier Railway (Alipur, Katihar, Lamding, Tinsukia, Tinsukia); North Western Railway (Amer, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur); Southern Railway (Chennai, Madurai, Palakkad, Thiruvanchirapalli, Thiruvanchirapalli, Thiruvan South Cost Railway Zone
