Bhubaneswar, April 5: Indian Railways clarified on Sunday regarding the newly formed South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone. The clarification addressed the location of the Palasa-Ichchapuram Section, a key segment spanning approximately 50 km, which includes seven stations: Palasa, Summadevi, Mandasa Road, Baruva, Sompeta, Jhadupudi, and Ichchapuram.
Indian Railways confirmed that all of these stations are located in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh and not within Odisha's jurisdiction. None of these stations are situated in Odisha.
These stations are categorized as small to mid-sized, primarily handling passenger traffic, with no significant freight operations. As a result, the revenue of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) remains unaffected by the transfer of jurisdiction.
The transfer of the section to the new South Coast Railway zone will not disrupt freight traffic, as trains passing through these stations en route will continue uninterrupted. Railway operations are designed to function seamlessly across zonal boundaries.
There will be no changes to train services, including those between Palasa and Bhubaneswar, Palasa and Cuttack, or Ichchapuram and Cuttack MEMU/passenger services. All services will continue operating as per their current schedule, routes, and frequencies.
The move is part of a technical revision aimed at enhancing the efficiency of passenger services in the Vishakapatnam division. The process of transferring staff and finalizing operational details is underway between the ECoR and SCoR. Indian Railways assured that the interests and service conditions of railway employees will be safeguarded according to established norms.
Indian Railways reiterated the government's strong commitment to the development of Odisha's railway infrastructure. This includes substantial capital expenditure on network expansion, station modernization, Vande Bharat services, and the establishment of the new Rayagada Division under ECoR.
Concerns had been raised regarding some stations being incorporated into the newly formed South Coast Railway zone, but the railway authorities clarified that these were purely technical adjustments aimed at improving service delivery.
