South Coastal Railway Zone Gazette to Be Issued from June 1, Says Ashwini Vaishnaw
Visakhapatnam, Apri 28 (TNT): Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday announced that the Gazette Notification for the creation of the South Coastal Railway Zone will be issued, with June 1, 2026, notified as the effective date.
Addressing a gathering after the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the Google Cloud India AI Hub here , Ashwini said the move would significantly strengthen railway administration in Andhra Pradesh.
He stated that Andhra Pradesh has received a record railway budget allocation of ₹10,134 crore, compared to ₹886 crore allocated earlier for the combined states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Railway projects worth approximately ₹1.06 lakh crore are currently underway in the state to enhance connectivity to ports, tourism destinations and major cities.
Highlighting infrastructure achievements, he said 74 railway stations are being reconstructed and redeveloped across the state, describing it as a historic initiative.
He added that 832 flyovers and underpasses have been completed, while 299 are under construction. In addition, 1,759 km of railway track has been completed and 3,300 km is under construction.
He further noted that Andhra Pradesh has achieved 100 per cent electrification of its railway network, placing it among the leading regions in railway modernisation.
On passenger services, the Union Minister said 16 Vande Bharat trains and 22 Amrit Bharat train services are currently operating in the state, improving travel efficiency and passenger comfort.
He also said that the East Coast Railway Corridor is being upgraded into a four-line network, which is expected to double capacity and enable the operation of up to 500 additional trains.
Cargo and container services are also being strengthened to improve connectivity between ports, tourism centres and major cities, boosting logistics and economic growth.
Outlining future plans, he spoke about proposed high-speed rail connectivity across major southern corridors, with estimated travel times of about 70 minutes between Amaravati and Hyderabad, 112 minutes between Amaravati and Chennai, 1 hour 55 minutes between Hyderabad and Pune, 48 minutes between Pune and Mumbai, 73 minutes between Chennai and Bengaluru, and 2 hours 8 minutes between Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
Describing the network as a “High-Speed Diamond”, he said it would significantly enhance mobility, economic integration and regional growth across southern India.
The Union Minister said these initiatives reflect the Union Government’s commitment to transform Andhra Pradesh into a major railway and logistics hub.
He added that the government is focused on ensuring balanced development and welfare, and asserted that the NDA government would deliver comprehensive infrastructure growth and public welfare in the southern states.
He also alleged that opposition parties were politicising developmental issues.
TNT KM
