Gazette Notification Issued for South Coastal Railway Zone Headquartered at Visakhapatnam

📌 Summary:

• Official gazette notification issued for the creation of South Coastal Railway (SCR) Zone — India's 18th railway zone
• Headquarters established at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh; the zone is carved out of South Central Railway and East Coast Railway
• Covers coastal Andhra Pradesh and parts of Odisha — regions with significant port activity, industrial corridors, and strategic naval presence
• Creation of this zone was a long-pending demand of Andhra Pradesh since the state's bifurcation in 2014 (creation of Telangana)
• The gazette notification formalises the administrative structure, enabling budget allocation, staff recruitment, and operational planning
• Visakhapatnam is a strategically important port city and the headquarters of the Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command
• Expected benefits: improved rail connectivity in coastal AP, faster cargo movement from major ports (Visakhapatnam, Kakinada), and stimulus to regional economic development
• The South Coastal Railway zone will handle key industrial corridors including the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC)
• UPSC prelims fact: India now has 18 railway zones; South Coastal Railway is headquartered at Visakhapatnam