South Coast Railway zone

• On 1 March 2014, the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014 was enacted paving way for the formation of South Coast railway zone. • On 17 February 2019, the Government of India has announced the creation of South Coast railway zone. • On 28 February 2019, the Union cabinet approved the Detailed Project report of South Coast Railway zone. • On 8 January 2025, the Prime Minister of India has laid the foundation stone for the construction of headquarters at Visakhapatnam. • On 7 February 2025, Union cabinet gave post-facto approval to the final Detailed Project report of South Coast Railway zone with partial modifications to it. • On 28 April 2026 Railway MinisterAshwini Vaishnaw announced that the new South Coastal Zone will come into existence and start functioning from 1 June 2026. Addressing a gathering after the Ground Breaking Ceremony of Google Cloud India AI Hub at Visakhapatnam, Vaishnaw said, "Gazette Notification for the creation of South Coastal Railway Zone will be issued, with 1 June 2026 being notified as the effective date". == Divisions of South Coast Railway ==

South Coast Railway consists of four railway divisions. They are: • Visakhapatnam railway division • Vijayawada railway division • Guntakal railway division • Guntur railway division == Network ==

The zone covers the state of Andhra Pradesh and parts of Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Route Length The 1106 route km of the present Waltair division is proposed to be distributed between East Coast Railway – Rayagada division (541 km), Khurda division (115 km) and Visakhapatnam division (460 km). With the proposed jurisdictions, SCoR will have division-wise route km and Running track km as: Vijayawada 956 and 1654 respectively, Guntakal 1,452 and 2,145, Guntur 630 and 661 and Visakhapatnam 450 and 810 respectively. Jurisdiction of Visakhapatnam Division The following sections remain under Visakhapatnam railway division after carving out Rayagada railway division from Waltair railway division. • Duvvada - Visakhapatnam - Palasa - Ichchapuram • Duvvada - Simhachalam North • Vadlapudi - Duvvada • Visakhapatnam Steel Plant - Vadlapudi • Vizianagaram - Kuneru • Naupada Jn - Parlakhemundi • Bobbili - Salur Jurisdiction of Guntakal Division • Guntakal - Raichur (excluding) • Guntakal - Dhone • Dhone - Nandyal • Nandyal - Yerraguntla • Guntakal - Ballari (excluding) • Guntakal - Renigunta sub division • Guntakal - Dharmavaram • Dharmavaram - Pakkala • Gudur (excluding) - Renigunta - Katpadi (excluding) • Kadapa - Pendlimarri Jurisdiction of Guntur Division • Guntur - Vishnupuram (exclusive) • New Piduguralla - Savalyapuram • Nallapadu - Nandyal • Guntur - Tenali (exclusive) - Repalle • Guntur - Krishna Canal (exclusive) • Nadikudi - Macherla • Guntur byepass line Jurisdiction of Vijayawada Division • Gudur - Duvvada • Vijayawada - Motumari • Vijayawada - Gudivada - Bhimavaram - Nidadavolu • Gudivada - Machilipatnam • Bhimavaram - Narsapur • Samalkot - Kakinada Port • Kakinada Town - Kotipalli • Venkatachalam - Krishnapatnam Port == Performance and earnings ==

The zone operates more than 500 trains during peak season to clear the rush of passengers. For the financial year 2020–2021, the zone is expected to collect per annum as per the DPR of SCoR. == Infrastructure ==

Wi-Fi Stations Various railway stations in South Coast Railway zone are Wi-Fi enabled, provided by Railwire in association with Google which are as follows: • Urban: Visakhapatnam Junction, Vijayawada Junction, Guntur Junction, Gudivada Junction, Tirupati, Rajahmundry, Kakinada Town, Nellore, Srikakulam Road, Bhimavaram Town,Tanuku, Samalkot Junction, Eluru, Kadapa, Proddatur, Renigunta Junction, Anantapur, Ongole, Guntakal Junction, Gudur Junction, Tadepalligudem, Tenali Junction, Tuni, Vizianagaram, Chirala, Yadgir,Machilipatnam, Pakala Junction, Chittoor and Raichur • Sub-urban: Powerpet-Eluru, New Guntur- Guntur, Duvvada-Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli-Visakhapatnam, Simhachalam-Visakhapatnam, Simhachalam North-Visakhapatnam, Marripalem-Visakhapatnam, Pendurthi-Visakhapatnam, Kotthavalasa-Visakhapatnam, Gunadala-Vijayawada, Kovvur-Rajahmundry, Rayanapadu-Vijayawada, Kakinada Port-Kakinada and Godavari-Rajahmundry • Rural: Gollapalli, Badampudi, Bhiknur, Bhimadolu, Chagallu, Chebrol, Denduluru, Duggirala, Gannavaram, Krishna Canal Junction, Mangalagiri, Mustabada, Navabpalem, Nambur, Nidadavolu Junction, Nuzvid, Pedda Avutapalle, Pedavadlapudi, Pulla, Sangamjagarlamudi, Telaprolu, Gundla, Vatlur, Talmadla, Upplavai Depots in divisions The zone has passenger coach care depots at Visakhapatnam in Visakhapatnam railway division.Kakinada, Narsapur, Machilipatnam, Vijayawada in Vijayawada railway division. Nallapadu, Guntur in Guntur railway division. Tirupati and Guntakal in Guntakal railway division. Additionally Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Gooty have wagon maintenance depots. Pit Lines The zone has 7 pitlines at Vijayawada, 3 pitlines at Kakinada, 2 pitlines at Narsapuram, 2 pitlines at Machilipatnam, 5 pitlines at Tirupathi, 1 pitline at Guntakal, 3 pitlines at Gunturu Training Institutes The zone has training institutes for imparting and learning railway techniques serving both Indian as well as foreign railway personnel at Vijayawada and Guntakal.6 pitlines at Visakhapatnam, Healthcare Divisional hospitals at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntakal, Guntur and Rayanapadu have healthcare facilities serving exclusively for the employees of Indian railways and their families. Loco Sheds The zone has Electric loco sheds at Electric Loco Shed, Visakhapatnam,Diesel Loco Shed, Visakhapatnam homing both electrical and deisel locos, Electric Loco Shed, Vijayawada and diesel loco sheds at Diesel Loco Shed, Guntakal, Diesel Loco Shed, Gooty, Diesel Loco Shed, Visakhapatnam, Diesel Loco Shed, Vijayawada .Memu Shed at Rajahmundry. It also has four electric loco trip sheds at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntakal and Renigunta and there are plans to convert the trip shed in Guntakal to an electric loco shed. == See also ==