The South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone, headquartered in Visakhapatnam, is set to officially commence its operations from June 1, says BJP State president P.V.N. Madhav.

The new railway zone, established as the 18th in the country, would cover a total rail network of 3,532 km, he said in a statement here on Saturday.

Once additional tracks such as double and triple lines were factored in, the total track length would extend to 6,454 km, he added.

The administrative jurisdiction of the SCoR zone would encompass four divisions — Visakhapatnam (formed after reorganisation of the Waltair division), Vijayawada, Guntur, and Guntakal — and comprised 385 stations.

Approximately 62,000 employees would serve across the four divisions. The zone’s headquarters would have 128 gazetted officers and 1,100 non-gazetted personnel.

The zone was expected to handle an annual freight volume of approximately 100 million tonnes. The combined revenue from passenger and freight operations was projected to be around ₹15,500 crore annually, he said.

Mr. Madhav also highlighted the capabilities of the Vadlapudi railway wagon depot, which was equipped to handle, inspect, and repair between 250 and 300 wagons daily.

The Union government announced the establishment of the SCoR zone in Visakhapatnam on February 17, 2019, which was subsequently approved by the Union Cabinet On January 8, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the stone for the permanent headquarters at Mudasarlova, which was estimated to cost ₹183 crore.

The 12-storey headquarters building, spanning 52.2 acres, was being designed in the shape of a cruise ship to reflect the city’s coastal identity. Until its completion, the zone would operate temporarily from the VMRDA iconic building The Deck.

The SCoR zone would span across Andhra Pradesh, while also incorporating portions of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Mr. Madhav expressed confidence that the launch of the zone would significantly strengthen railway infrastructure in the State, lead to introduction of new trains, facilitate development of stations and platforms, and drive economic growth, trade, and employment opportunities in the region.