South Coastal Railway Zone to Launch June 1, AP Gets Record ₹10,134 Crore Rail Boost

At the launch of the Google Cloud India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a landmark reform in India’s railway map, confirming that the South Coastal Railway Zone (SCoR) will be notified with June 1, 2026 as its operational date. The move fulfills a long-pending commitment under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 and is expected to decentralize railway administration while accelerating infrastructure execution in the state.

The announcement comes amid an unprecedented surge in railway investments. Andhra Pradesh has secured a record ₹10,134 crore allocation , a steep rise from the ₹886 crore earmarked earlier for the combined state of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Railway projects worth ₹1.06 lakh crore are currently underway, focusing on port connectivity, industrial corridors, and tourism circuits , reinforcing the state’s ambition to emerge as a logistics powerhouse .

Infrastructure expansion on the ground reflects this momentum. As many as 74 stations are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, while 832 flyovers and underpasses have been completed and 299 are under construction . Track development is equally robust, with 1,759 km completed and 3,300 km in progress . Notably, Andhra Pradesh has achieved 100% railway electrification , placing it among India’s most modern rail networks.

Passenger mobility has improved with the introduction of 16 Vande Bharat Express services and 22 Amrit Bharat trains , catering to both premium and affordable travel segments.

Looking ahead, the East Coast Railway Corridor is being upgraded into a four-line network , expected to double capacity and support up to 500 additional trains , while strengthening freight connectivity to key ports along the coast.

The Minister also outlined an ambitious “High-Speed Diamond” network , proposing rapid inter-city links such as Amaravati–Hyderabad in 70 minutes and Chennai–Bengaluru in 73 minutes , signalling India’s push toward next-generation rail mobility .

Backed by parallel investments like the Google AI Hub, these developments position Andhra Pradesh at the intersection of rail, logistics, and digital infrastructure , driving regional integration and long-term economic growth .