South Coast Railway Zone to Begin Operations from Visakhapatnam

The South Coast Railway Zone (SCoR) will begin operations on 1 June 2026 with headquarters at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It will become the 18th railway zone of Indian Railways and will function under the framework linked to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

Formation and Administrative Structure

SCoR was formalised through a gazette notification issued by the Central Government on 4 May 2026. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed the operational date on 28 April 2026. The new zone will have four divisions. These are Vijayawada, Guntur, and Guntakal from South Central Railway, along with the newly created Visakhapatnam division.

Rail Network and Jurisdiction

The South Coast Railway Zone is projected to cover 3,532 km of rail network. It will have 385 stations under its jurisdiction. The Visakhapatnam division has been reorganised from a part of the erstwhile Waltair division of East Coast Railway. Indian Railways has 18 zones after the creation of SCoR.

Headquarters and Infrastructure

The permanent headquarters of SCoR is planned at Mudasarlova in Visakhapatnam. The proposed building is a 12-storey structure with an estimated cost of ₹183 crore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the headquarters on 8 January 2025. Until completion of the permanent building, the zone will operate from The Deck building of the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority in Siripuram.

Important Facts for Exams

• Indian Railways is divided into zones and divisions for administrative control and train operations.
• The South Coast Railway Zone will be the 18th railway zone in India.
• Visakhapatnam is also known as Vizag and is a major port city on the eastern coast of India.
• The Waltair division has been associated with railway administration in the eastern coastal region.

Logo and Related Developments

Indian Railways unveiled a new 18-star logo on 27 May 2026 after the formation of SCoR. The logo corresponds to the addition of the new railway zone. The creation of SCoR places four divisions under one zone for railway administration in Andhra Pradesh.