News Brief
Indian Railways (PTI) (Representative Image)
In a significant decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Union Cabinet has granted its ex-post facto approval for the partial modification of a previous Cabinet resolution dated 28 February 2019, concerning the Waltair Railway Division.
The key decisions include retaining the Waltair division in a truncated form and renaming it as the Vishakhapatnam division.
This restructuring will see the Waltair division, which spans around 410 km, continue to serve regions between the stations of Palasa-Vishakhapatnam-Duvvada, Kuneru-Vizianagaram, Naupada Jn-Paralakhemundi, Bobbili Jn-Salur, Simhachalam North-Duvvada bypass, Vadalapudi-Duvvada, and Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant-Jaggayapalem.
It will now operate under the new South Coast Railway, shedding its colonial legacy by adopting the new name, Vishakhapatnam division.
The government said that retaining the Waltair division, albeit in a truncated format, will fulfil the longstanding demands and aspirations of the local population.
This move is expected to streamline operations and enhance the efficiency of railway services in these regions.