MP GVL Narasimha Rao pushes for immediate launch of Visakhapatnam railway zone

Visakhapatnam: Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, BJP member GVL Narasimha Rao sought urgent action towards the operationalization of the Visakhapatnam Railway Zone.

Raising the issue as a Special Mention, the MP highlighted the prolonged delay in establishing the long-awaited railway zone. This, he noted, was a demand raised by the populace of Visakhapatnam and the Uttarandhra region over several decades.

The announcement of the Union Cabinet on Feb 28, 2019, approving the proposal for the South Coast Railway Zone with its headquarters in Visakhapatnam, had resulted in immense jubilation among the people of the region, he said.

“The railway board approved a budget of Rs 106 crore for construction of the South Coast Railway Zone headquarters in Visakhapatnam, and orders were issued to the East Coast Zone officials for construction after design approvals,” the MP noted.

He said, “However, the delay on the part of the state government to handover 52 acres of land in Mudisarlova, crucial for the headquarters, has impeded its progress.”

Narasimha Rao urged the railway ministry to swiftly resolve the land issues, and called for the start of construction within two months and the prompt launch of the railway zone in Visakhapatnam without further delay.