Now Those Railway Stations Are Ours Too..!

The long-standing demand of the people of Srikakulam district has finally been addressed, as the Railway Board has decided to include the entire district under the new South Coastal Railway Zone headquartered in Visakhapatnam. Orders have been issued to both South Coastal and East Coast Railway zones to implement the changes. Earlier, it was decided that railway stations from Palasa to Ichchapuram would remain under the East Coast Zone, raising concerns that Srikakulam would lag in development.

Union Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu intervened and held discussions with Railway Board officials and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, explaining that dividing the district between two zones would hinder development and create regional imbalance. His efforts paid off, and authorities were directed to include all seven stations from Palasa to Ichchapuram in the new zone.

The South Coastal Railway Zone was announced in 2019 under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, following the principle of “one state – one zone.” However, earlier decisions allegedly favored Odisha in zone allocations, leading to dissatisfaction among Andhra Pradesh residents.

With the latest orders, stations including Palasa, Summadevi, Mandasa Road, Baruva, Sompeta, Jadupudi, and Ichchapuram will now come under the South Coastal Zone. The minister expressed happiness over the decision and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Railway Minister for their support, stating that this move fulfills a long-pending aspiration of North Andhra people.