The lack of political will, half-hearted efforts and poor understanding of the subject on the part of the elected representatives of Andhra Pradesh are said to be the root causes of inordinate delay in the operation of South Coast Railway Zone (SCOR) at Visakhapatnam. ,
It may be recalled that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of SCOR was submitted to the Railway Board long back for its approval. An RTI reply received from the Railway Board on July 14, 2022 stated: “The DPR for setting up of the new SCOR zone at Visakhapatnam is currently under scrutiny in the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board).”
While one may wonder why the board is taking so long to give its nod to the DPR, railway sources say that the DPR had suggested the merger of a portion of Waltair Division with Vijayawada Division and the remaining portions. was being created with a new division. In Rayagada, Orissa.
The people’s representatives of Andhra Pradesh had demanded to retain the remainder of the Waltair division with Visakhapatnam as the headquarters, rather than merging it into Vijayawada. Changes in the DPR, which have already been submitted, require Parliament’s approval. This is where political will plays an important role.
‘No political lobbying’
“It is unfortunate that there is no political lobbying on behalf of our MPs in Parliament. JVSN Murthy, convener of Visakha Railway Zone Sadhna Samiti and state leader of CPI, says, “Both the ruling and TDP MPs sided with each other to follow the BJP government’s line, instead of insisting on implementing the promises made to the state.” are competing.”
“It is not just a matter of zones, even in the case of provision of new trains on high-demand routes, provision of stoppages at satellite stations like Duvvada, Pendurthi and Simhachalam or even provision of stoppages of trains. Even in the matter of implementation of decisions like naming, which does not put any financial burden on the Railways, our political representatives are not serious,” he says.
“They should take a lesson from the neighboring state of Odisha, where leaders of all political parties forget their ideological differences to protect their state’s interests,” he says.
The rail sector can be a game-changer to strengthen the economy of not only North Andhra but the entire state. Development works like Marripalem Maha Terminal, Gopalapatnam’s third line, construction of additional platforms at coaching depots and additional pit lines in the name of the zone have suffered setbacks for the last three years.
Now the time has come for the BJP government to fulfill its assurance given to the people of Andhra Pradesh and order the speedy operation of the area.