Mixed response on South Coast Railway zone in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: The political parties in the state voiced mixed reactions on the announcement of new railway zone 'South Coast Railway' announced by the Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday. 

The BJP-led government at the Centre on Wednesday night announced new Railway Zone naming it as South Coast Railway. The Waltair division, one of the highest income generator for Indian Railway, was now divided into two different divisions, bringing a loss to Visakhapatnam zone and providing 85 per cent of its profits to Rayagad zone.

CPM senior leader Ch Narasinga Rao termed it as an election gimmick played by the BJP. It was the right of Andhra people, but the BJP was acting as if they did a great service to the people. Financial viability should be there in the announcement of railway zone but without which the state will not benefit it at all.

Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Dronamraju Srinivas Rao said that the BJP took the decision just before Modi's visit to Visakhapatnam and termed it is a cheap election stunt. He said that if BJP was in favour of railway zone then why it has delayed it for the past four and half years. He also said there was no clarity in the announcement. “If Waltair Division is divided, Rayagada will be benefited from this announcement and Rs 300 crore loss will be faced by the new zone,” he added.

TDP urban wing president and Visakhapatnam South MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar welcomed the announcement and demanded the Centre to clear all the provisions mentioned in the AP Reorganisation Bill. The Railway zone announcement is the biggest achievement of Andhra Pradesh people who are fighting for the past two-and-half years, he added.

CPI senior leader and Railway Zone Sadhana Samithi president Satyanarayana Murthy expressed his unhappyness on the new railway zone. It is very unfortunate that the BJP government divided the Waltair division favouring the Odisha. With only Visakhapatnam Railway station, new zone would not give any revenue to the state. He demanded the government to establish new zone with complete Waltair division.

BJP MP K Haribabu expressed his happiness and thanked to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal for the announcement of new railway zone. “With this move, the commitment and determination of the BJP government came to light. The government will fulfil all the provisions mentioned in the AP Reorganization Bill- 2014,” he added.