‘Bhoomi puja’ for South Coast Rly Zone soon: MP Ramesh

Anakapalle MP CM Ramesh announced that a Bhoomi Puja for the proposed South Coast Railway Zone (SCoR) will be performed soon. The MP, who recently assumed the chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways Union, shared the update during his maiden visit to Visakhapatnam after assuming the new role.
Speaking to the media, Ramesh said, “The State government has already handed over the land for the construction of the SCR Zonal headquarters and the date for foundation stone-laying ceremony will be announced shortly”. Railway users all across the North Andhra region welcome the news as they have been keeping fingers crossed for more than five years for operationalisation of the railway zone.
The MP stated that the Visakhapatnam Railway Zone was important for bringing growth and development to the region’s economy. “This zone will improve connectivity, increase trade, and provide jobs,” said Ramesh. He also admitted that Andhra Pradesh faced a few challenges while upgrading the railway infrastructure as well as passenger services.
The MP made the comments following the Minister of Civil Aviation K. Rammohan Naidu revealing that the South Coast Railway Zone will be announced later this month. This was during the flagging off of the Visakhapatnam–Durg Vande Bharat Express on September 16. During this, Naidu had promised the public that preliminary work for the South Coast Railway Zone will be undertaken soon. “I will work towards getting railway projects to North Andhra as well as the entire State,” further added Ramesh.
Naidu had earlier, in the same event in September, said, “The ‘double-engine sarkar’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh is committed to the operationalisation of the railway zone. The State government has already handed over the land required for construction, and the bhoomi puja would be performed between Dasara and Diwali”.