Visakhapatnam Railway Zone Gets Official Gazette, Operations From June 1
The Centre has cleared the Visakhapatnam based South Coast Railway zone, bringing major divisional reshuffles, new boundaries, and administrative changes across Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring railway networks from June 2026.
- Visakhapatnam railway zone officially notified with new structure
- South Coast Railway operations to begin from June 1
- Visakhapatnam division expanded with multiple railway line transfers
The long-awaited Visakhapatnam-based railway zone has finally received official approval, with the Railway Board issuing a formal gazette notification confirming its launch. According to the announcement, the new South Coast Railway zone will begin operations from June 1, 2026, marking a significant administrative shift in the region.
With Visakhapatnam as its headquarters, the newly formed zone will take control of key divisions including Guntakal, Guntur, and Vijayawada. This restructuring is part of a broader effort to streamline railway management and improve operational efficiency across multiple regions.
One of the major changes includes the reorganisation of the existing Waltair division. It has now been split into two separate divisions Visakhapatnam and Rayagada. While Visakhapatnam division will cover the city and surrounding areas, Rayagada division has been carved out with newly assigned jurisdictions under the East Coast Railway.
The notification also highlights that parts of South Central Railway and East Coast Railway have been merged to establish the South Coast Railway zone. Several railway routes and sections have been reassigned to ensure better connectivity and administrative clarity.
Notably, key railway lines such as Ichchapuram to Palasa and segments connecting Duvvada, Vizianagaram, and other regions have been brought under the Visakhapatnam division. Additional routes including Naupada to Parlakimidi and Simhachalam to Jaggaiahpalem have also been integrated into the same division.
Meanwhile, certain sections have been redistributed across divisions. The Raichur to Wadi route has been moved under Secunderabad division, while the Kondapalli to Motumarru section has been shifted to Vijayawada division. These changes aim to balance operational responsibilities across zones.
The Koraput to Kirandul railway line will now be jointly managed by Visakhapatnam and Rayagada divisions. At the same time, new boundaries between divisions have been clearly defined, including the Singapur Road to Vizianagaram stretch.
Following the restructuring, South Central Railway will now retain only Secunderabad, Hyderabad, and Nanded divisions. The Railway Board has also specified clear kilometre-based boundaries between South Coast Railway and East Coast Railway zones in the gazette.
On the infrastructure front, a permanent headquarters for the South Coast Railway will be developed in Arilova, Visakhapatnam. Until then, a temporary office has been set up in a two-floor facility within the VMRDA complex for administrative operations.
With these sweeping changes set to take effect from June 1, the new railway zone is expected to enhance coordination, improve regional connectivity, and boost railway services across Andhra Pradesh.
