SCR continues in key role as South Coastal Railway takes off as 18th zone

The South Central Railway (SCR) has been reorganised from six divisions to three following the creation of the 18th railway zone, South Coastal Railway (SCoR). However, the SCR will continue to play a significant role for a few more months until the division of assets and functions is fully completed.

Senior officials familiar with the transition said that while train operations were clearly demarcated from midnight on May 31 with the launch of the new zone, several administrative and operational aspects such as budget allocation, ongoing project execution, tender management, etc., will be resolved gradually.

“It is the divisions within a zone that carry out most operational work. Except for a few sections that have been reassigned between the SCR and the SCoR, there is clarity in responsibilities like the – Kondapalli-Motumari section has been moved from Secunderabad to Vijayawada division, while the Raichur-Wadi section has shifted from Guntakal to Secunderabad division – department heads from both zones are coordinating closely to ensure seamless functioning,” they explained.

Network length of SCR after reorganisation

Operating controllers of both the SCR and the SCoR have already assumed charge of their respective divisions and established direct communication channels with station masters for smooth coordination from June 1. “The SCoR is now fully responsible for all railway activities within its divisions. Some overlapping matters such as crew management, ongoing works, and previously finalised tenders will be addressed in the coming days,” said senior officials.

In certain areas, interim arrangements have been worked out. For instance, the sharing of ballast material from the Raichur depot, now under the Secunderabad division, is being managed through mutual agreements between departments.

Network length of SCoR

The SCR has been allocated a record ₹13,026 crore for infrastructure development in the 2026-27 Union Budget, including ₹5,454 crore for Telangana and ₹10,134 crore for Andhra Pradesh. Planned works include line doubling, tripling, and quadrupling, alongside new lines, electrification, yard modernisation, and station upgrades. The plan covers around 284 projects exceeding ₹50 crore each, along with approximately 2,700 smaller works and nearly 150 surveys to be completed during the financial year.

SCR employees strength

The SCR headquarters in Secunderabad now has 152 officers, down from 234, with around 80 posts shifted to the SCoR. The number of non-gazetted staff has also decreased from 2,900 to 1,941 after nearly 1,000 employees were transferred. A few internal adjustments have been carried like Peddapalli-Nizamabad section moved to the Hyderabad division, Latur Road-Parli Vaijnath and Mudkhed-Karkheli sections have been reassigned to the Nanded division.

SCR and SCoR network length

The SCR’s network length now stands at 3,603 km down from 6,645 km earlier – comprising Secunderabad (1,835 km), Hyderabad (782 km), and Nanded (986 km) divisions. In contrast, the SCoR spans 3,501 km across Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal, and Visakhapatnam divisions. With the SCoR infrastructure such as office buildings and staff accommodation still under construction, the SCR will continue to provide support and handholding during the transition, said Chief Public Relations Officer A. Sridhar.