New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The jurisdiction of the East Coast Railway (ECoR), headquartered in Bhubaneswar, has shrunk following a decision by the Ministry of Railways to transfer 50-km Ichchapuram–Palasa section of the Khurda Road division to the proposed Visakhapatnam division of the new South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone.
According to an official letter issued by the Railway Board on April 2, Rameshwar Meena, Executive Director, informed the General Managers of ECoR and SCoR that the jurisdiction of the proposed SCoR has been reviewed. “In partial modification, it has now been decided by the competent authority to also include Ichchapuram–Palasa section section, including Ichchapuram station, in the proposed Visakhapatnam division,” the letter stated.
Meena directed the GMs to advise the Railway Board on the proposed new boundary between the Visakhapatnam and Khurda Road divisions.
The 50-km section between Ichchapuram and Palasa includes five intermediate stations: Jhadupudi, Sompeta, Baruva, Mandasa Road, and Summadevi. This adjustment would mean stations such as Palasa, Baruva, Jhadupudi, Summadevi, Sompeta, Mandasa Road, and Ichchapuram will now fall under the Visakhapatnam division of SCoR.
Background on SCoR Formation
The new zone is being carved out primarily from parts of the erstwhile South Central Railway (SCR), incorporating the Vijayawada, Guntur, and Guntakal divisions, along with a restructured Visakhapatnam division (formerly part of the Waltair division). In parallel, ECoR will gain a new Rayagada division from portions of the old Waltair setup. This restructuring aims to enhance administrative efficiency, improve regional connectivity, and boost passenger and freight services along the coastal corridor.
Reaction from Srikakulam MP
Union Civil Aviation Minister and Srikakulam MP K Ram Mohan Naidu welcomed the move, sharing the Railway Board letter on social media. He described it as a fulfilment of a long-pending aspiration for the people of Srikakulam district. Naidu noted that he had been consistently pursuing the inclusion of these stations since the announcement of the SCoR zone in 2019. “This has been a long-pending aspiration of our people, and I have been consistently pursuing it since the zone’s announcement in 2019. I sincerely thank PM Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on behalf of the people of Srikakulam for this thoughtful decision.”
He added that bringing these stations under the Visakhapatnam division would ensure better administrative efficiency and improved railway services for the region.
