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Hudhud makes rail zone issue more relevant
B. MADHU GOPAL
Post-cyclone Hudhud and the damage wreaked by it on the Waltair Division of the East Coast Railway, MLAs of the region and those watching the injustice done to the Waltair Division over the years, feel that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu should take up with the Railway Minister and the Prime Minister the proposed formation of South East Coast Railway zone. All said and done, Mr Naidu himself has already clarified that Visakhapatnam would be made the headquarters of the proposed Zone. Hence,...
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he should act fast on the issue.
They say quick action from Mr Naidu is more necessary in the context of the E Co R General Manager failing to visit Visakhapatnam in spite of the massive destruction suffered by it. When the Chief Minister, along with the entire State machinery, stayed here for a week for restoration, an official not visiting damaged areas in his jurisdiction is a serious matter and Mr Naidu should not take kindly to it, they feel. Naidu’s action, at this juncture, will also serve to overcome the reported opposition from the Odisha Chief Minister to the de-linking of the Waltair Division from the ECoR. Odisha’s stand on the issue is seen as a ploy to continue to deny it development
The MLAs have made no secret of their unhappiness over on the E Co R headquarters’ attitude towards the Waltair Division, which earns about half of the total revenue of the E Co R. The claims of the Waltair Division authorities that the GM was monitoring the situation through video conference as it could hamper the relief and restoration works also drew flak. This shows the attitude of E Co R headquarters towards Waltair Division, which suffered a loss of over Rs.200 crore.
The formation of the new railway zone in Andhra Pradesh was included in the AP Reorganisation Bill and there is no way Odisha can oppose it, they feel. The Railway Board in its order (dated April 15, 2014) wanted the committee to submit its report in three months but gave it three months’ extension, which ended on October 15.
Formation of the new zone with headquarters in Visakhapatnam does not cause much financial burden to the railway as Waltair Division has over 700 acres of land and facilities like Diesel and Electric Loco Sheds and Coaching Complex.