The newly launched South Coast Railway Zone has officially started operations from Visakhapatnam, bringing fresh focus on railway infrastructure and connectivity across Andhra Pradesh. As the new zone begins functioning from June 1, detailed statistics related to its railway divisions and track network have now emerged.
The South Coast Railway Zone includes the Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, and Guntakal divisions. Railway officials have classified the network under two major categories. The first is “route kilometres,” which refers to the total length of primary railway lines. The second is “running track kilometres,” which includes main lines along with double lines, triple lines, bypass tracks, and additional operational tracks.
According to official figures, the total route network under the South Coast Railway Zone stands at 3,532 kilometres. Meanwhile, the total running track network has reached 6,455 kilometres.
Among all divisions, Guntakal division has emerged as the largest in terms of route kilometres. However, Vijayawada division leads the zone in running track kilometres because of its extensive multi-line railway infrastructure.
Railway officials explained that Vijayawada division benefits from triple railway lines on the Vijayawada-Gudur section along with several bypass tracks near Vijayawada city. These additions significantly increase its running track length even though its overall route kilometres remain lower than Guntakal division.
The Visakhapatnam division, which became part of the South Coast Railway Zone after the reorganisation of the old Waltair division into Visakhapatnam and Rayagada divisions, currently has the smallest route network among the four divisions. It operates across 460 route kilometres but still maintains 979 running track kilometres due to additional operational lines.
Another important aspect of the new railway zone is its geographical spread.
Although the South Coast Railway Zone spans four states, nearly 97.75 per cent of its network lies within Andhra Pradesh. Only smaller sections fall under Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
In Karnataka, approximately 47.03 route kilometres within the Guntakal division fall under the new zone. These sections cover railway stretches towards Wadi and Ballari.
Similarly, a 25-kilometre railway stretch in Telangana between Vijayawada and Kazipet has also been included within the South Coast Railway Zone limits.
In Tamil Nadu, a small 6.86-kilometre section on the Pakala-Katpadi route through Chittoor district forms part of the zone’s network.
The launch of the South Coast Railway Zone is being viewed as a major milestone for Andhra Pradesh. The new zone is expected to improve railway administration, strengthen regional connectivity, speed up infrastructure development, and increase operational efficiency across important rail corridors in the state.
With Visakhapatnam serving as the headquarters, the South Coast Railway Zone is also expected to play a crucial role in supporting industrial growth, cargo movement, tourism, and passenger transport in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions.
Railway officials believe the new structure will help streamline operations and allow faster decision-making for railway projects that directly benefit Andhra Pradesh.
