Vijayawada: The announcement of a new railway zone for AP is turning into a vexed issue for the Union government even though it would not entail too large a financial outlay.
According to railway officials, the Kothavalasa-Kirandul (KK) railway line and Waltair division, which are part of the East Coast railway zone and its link, are not keen on the formation of the new railway zone for AP.
The KK railway line is one of the top three income-generating lines in the country, with nearly Rs 4,000 crore in revenue through iron-ore transportation. Odisha and West Bengal also earn incomes from iron ore exports through transportation of goods through their ports and are reluctant to relinquish this important railway line and division to AP — even when a new railway zone has been ensured in the AP Reorganisation Act after the committee arrived at the conclusion that it was necessary.
Now, the BJP’s AP unit is keen on establishment of a new zone, with Visakhapatnam as headquarters, but the committee and officials of the two states are opposed to severing KK line from the East Coast Railway.
Railway officials and unions opined that the new railway zone would be possible after cutting the KK line link and Waltair division too. There has been no dialogue on this so far with the Railway ministry and officials of the other states.
As per reports, KK railway line’s income alone is more than 50 per cent of Waltair division’s gross earnings. The special KK railway line was formed in 1966, consisting of 443 km of track length under 48 station limits.
The rail line starts from Kothavalasa-Araku-Kirburu project only for transporting iron ore. An official said on condition of anonymity that if the KK line was separated from the East Coast Railway, it would lose its importance.
South Central Railway Mazdoor Union leader Ch Shankar Rao said that the MPs and state government should intervene in the issue and resolve the tug of war as the other two state governments would naturally try to retain KK line within their jurisdiction even if it was in AP.
