Visakhapatnam: The South Coastal Railway Zone will come into effect from June 1, 2026, with the Gazette Notification set to be issued soon, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while addressing a gathering after the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the Google Cloud India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam. He said the move is expected to strengthen railway administration in Andhra Pradesh.
The Minister said Andhra Pradesh has received a record railway budget allocation of ₹10,134 crore, a sharp rise from ₹886 crore allocated earlier for the combined states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
He added that railway projects worth around Rs.1,06,000 crore are currently under execution in the state, aimed at improving connectivity to ports, tourism hubs and key cities.
Highlighting infrastructure progress, he said 74 railway stations in Andhra Pradesh are being reconstructed and redeveloped, calling it a major milestone.
He shared that 832 flyovers and underpasses have been completed, while 299 are under construction. In terms of track expansion, 1,759 km has been completed and 3,300 km is currently under development.
The Minister said Andhra Pradesh has achieved 100 percent electrification of its railway network, placing it among the leading regions in railway modernisation.
On passenger services, he noted that 16 Vande Bharat trains and 22 Amrit Bharat trains are currently operating in the state, improving travel time and comfort.
He also said the East Coast Railway Corridor is being upgraded into a four-line network, which is expected to double capacity and allow operation of up to 500 additional trains.
Focus is also being placed on strengthening cargo and container train services to improve connectivity between ports, tourism centres and major cities, supporting logistics and economic activity.
Detailing future plans, he outlined high-speed rail connectivity across southern corridors with estimated travel times, including Amaravati to Hyderabad in about 70 minutes, Amaravati to Chennai in about 112 minutes, Hyderabad to Pune in about 1 hour 55 minutes, Pune to Mumbai in about 48 minutes, Chennai to Bengaluru in about 73 minutes and Hyderabad to Bengaluru in about 2 hours 8 minutes.
He described this network as a “High-Speed Diamond”, which will significantly enhance mobility, economic integration, and regional growth across Southern India.
The Minister said these developments reflect the Centre’s focus on turning Andhra Pradesh into a key railway and logistics hub, driving growth and regional integration. He added that the government is committed to balanced development and welfare, and said the NDA government will ensure complete justice to southern states in infrastructure growth and public welfare, while also noting that opposition parties were politicising developmental issues.
BI Bureau
