3 weeks ago
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View of Rail manager mill astatine Kazipet. File
From June 1, South Central Railway (SCR) volition beryllium near with conscionable 3 divisions alternatively of the existent six, pursuing the enactment of the caller South Coast Railway (SCoR) portion with Visakhapatnam arsenic its headquarters. The Centre notified the caller portion done an authoritative gazette earlier this month.
As portion of the restructuring, the Vijayawada, Guntur and Guntakal divisions of SCR volition beryllium transferred to SCoR on with a reorganised Waltair part of East Coast Railway (ECoR), which volition beryllium renamed the Visakhapatnam division.
However, prime sections from these divisions volition stay with SCR similar the 108-km Raichur–Wadi agelong from Guntakal and the 142-km Vishnupuram–Pagidipalli–Janpahad conception from Guntur. Together, these additions volition grow the Secunderabad part by astir 200 km, taking its full web to astir 1,800 km from the existent 1,600 km.
Post-reorganisation, the Secunderabad part volition go importantly larger than the remaining 2 divisions—Hyderabad (around 800 km) and Nanded (around 900 km). This is contempt 46 km Kondapalli - Motumarri conception being moved to Vijayawada division. This imbalance has revived demands for the instauration of a abstracted Kazipet railway division.
While the Railway Board has not made immoderate authoritative connection connected the proposal, galore wrong SCR judge the lawsuit for Kazipet is strong, fixed its strategical determination connected the important Grand Trunk way that connects northbound and southbound India.
“Kazipet lies midway betwixt Vijayawada and Balharshah and serves arsenic a large crew-change point. It has some diesel and electrical loco sheds, on with cardinal freight loading hubs linked to cement and ember industries successful Ramagundam, Mancherial, Mandamarri, Bhadrachalam Road, Manuguru and Vishnupuram. There is besides an upcoming wagon factory,” said a elder railway official, requesting anonymity.
Officials reason that establishing a divisional office astatine Kazipet—already equipped with important railway infrastructure—would easiness administrative pressure, arsenic the expanded Secunderabad part risks becoming operationally unwieldy. They besides constituent retired that the determination would not necessitate large caller recruitment, since astir facilities could proceed connected an “as-is-where-is” basis.
Railway unions, nationalist representatives and residents of Kazipet and Warangal person agelong demanded a abstracted division, a request reiterated by MP Kadiyam Kavya. Supporters reason that if smaller centres similar Visakhapatnam and Guntur tin person their ain divisions, Kazipet’s assertion is arsenic justified.
Meanwhile, the Railway Board which has unveiled a revised logo featuring 18 stars to bespeak the full fig of divisions aft the reorganisation, has sought speedy transportation of unit to SCoR, with lone 50% of the allotted 700-odd employees having joined truthful far.
