Centre Announces South Coastal Railway Zone for Andhra Pradesh

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Gazette Notification for the creation of the South Coastal Railway Zone will be issued, with June 1, 2026 set as the effective date.

The announcement was made during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Google Cloud India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam, marking a major administrative reform aimed at strengthening railway operations in Andhra Pradesh.

Vaishnaw said the state has received a record railway budget allocation of ₹10,134 crore, significantly higher than earlier allocations, and noted that projects worth around ₹1.06 lakh crore are currently underway to improve connectivity across the region.

He highlighted major infrastructure developments, including the redevelopment of 74 railway stations, completion of 1,759 km of track, and ongoing work on another 3,300 km. The state has also achieved 100% railway electrification, placing it among the leaders in modern railway infrastructure.

Passenger services have also expanded, with 16 Vande Bharat trains and 22 Amrit Bharat services currently operating in the state. Additionally, the East Coast Railway Corridor is being upgraded into a four-line network to boost capacity and freight movement.

The minister also outlined plans for high-speed rail connectivity across southern India, describing it as a “High-Speed Diamond” network linking major cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune, with significantly reduced travel times.

Officials said the initiatives aim to transform Andhra Pradesh into a key railway and logistics hub, supporting economic growth and regional integration.