Railways – South Coast Railway Advances Major Infrastructure Projects Worth Rs 54,479 Crore
Railways –The South Coast Railway (SCoR) has made a strong start by pushing forward large-scale railway development projects, strengthening safety measures, and improving passenger facilities within the first two months of its operations.
The newly established South Coast Railway (SCoR) has begun implementing railway infrastructure projects valued at Rs 54,479 crore during its initial two months of functioning. Officially commencing operations on June 1, the new railway zone has focused on expanding rail capacity, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing passenger services while simultaneously setting up its administrative framework. Railway officials said the zone is currently managing five new railway line projects along with 24 multi-tracking works as part of its long-term development strategy.
Additional Projects Planned for Future Expansion
Speaking at a press conference in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, South Coast Railway General Manager Sandeep Mathur said that projects worth another Rs 70,865 crore are under various stages of planning. Alongside rail expansion, the zone has also initiated the construction of more than 300 Road Over Bridges and Road Under Bridges to improve road connectivity and reduce safety risks at railway crossings.
Mathur explained that creating the new railway zone required building an entirely new administrative and operational system. This included arranging infrastructure, assigning staff, preparing financial systems, allocating budgets, redistributing ongoing projects, and establishing new operating procedures.
Safety Remains the Top Operational Priority
According to the General Manager, passenger and operational safety has remained the primary focus since the formation of the new zone. Senior railway officials have already completed inspections covering nearly 1,700 route kilometres and approximately 3,000 track kilometres. These inspections were carried out to assess infrastructure, identify public requirements, and strengthen safety standards across the network.
The South Coast Railway currently oversees 3,532 route kilometres and 6,455 track kilometres. Its jurisdiction includes four railway divisions, seven locomotive sheds, three workshops, seven coaching depots, four freight depots, and four major ports, making it an important operational zone within the Indian Railways network.
Major Infrastructure Works Receive Fresh Approval
Among the significant projects approved after the zone became operational is the Rs 300 crore Visakhapatnam Yard Remodelling Project. The work includes construction of six additional railway lines, six new platforms, electronic interlocking systems, and platform expansion to improve train handling capacity.
Another major investment includes the Rs 1,205 crore Guntakal-Ballari quadrupling project, aimed at increasing rail capacity on one of the important sections. Additionally, Rs 20 crore has been sanctioned to improve crowd management facilities at Tirupati railway station, particularly during periods of heavy passenger movement.
The railway zone has also completed yard remodelling works between Narsapur and Vijayawada as well as Garudaballi and Visakhapatnam. Automatic block signalling has also been expanded on the Nellore-Telamanchi section to improve train operations and network efficiency.
Passenger Facilities and Station Redevelopment Continue
Passenger services have remained another important area of focus for the new zone. Redevelopment work has been completed at three Amrit Bharat stations—Rayanapadu, Mangalagiri, and Cumbum—while construction activities are continuing at 70 additional stations.
To meet increasing travel demand, South Coast Railway operated 76 special trains that carried nearly 86,000 passengers. It also attached 408 additional coaches to regular services. Officials said preparations are also underway to review railway arrangements for the upcoming Godavari Pushkarams at Rajahmundry to ensure smooth passenger movement during the religious event.
Revenue Growth and Security Enforcement
During the reporting period, South Coast Railway generated Rs 671 crore in originating passenger revenue while serving approximately 29.4 million originating passengers. Total originating earnings reached Rs 2,493 crore, and passenger traffic registered an annual growth of three percent.
On the security front, the Railway Protection Force detected 28 cases under the NDPS Act and seized narcotic substances valued at Rs 2.37 crore. Authorities also initiated action against 5,152 offenders as part of efforts to improve discipline, security, and cleanliness across railway premises.