South Coast Railway Zone (SCoR) Begins Operations on June 1, 2026 - Becomes India's 18th Railway Zone with Headquarters at Visakhapatnam | Current Affairs

The South Coast Railway Zone (SCoR) began operations on 1 June 2026 with its headquarters at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It has become the 18th railway zone of Indian Railways and functions under the framework linked to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. SCoR was formalised through a gazette notification issued by the Central Government on 4 May 2026. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed the operational date on 28 April 2026.

The new zone has four divisions - Vijayawada, Guntur, and Guntakal from South Central Railway, along with the newly created Visakhapatnam division. The South Coast Railway Zone is projected to cover 3,532 km of rail network and will have 385 stations under its jurisdiction. The Visakhapatnam division has been reorganised from a part of the erstwhile Waltair division of East Coast Railway.

The permanent headquarters of SCoR is planned at Mudasarlova in Visakhapatnam - a 12-storey structure with an estimated cost of Rs 183 crore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the headquarters on 8 January 2025. Until completion of the permanent building, the zone will operate from The Deck building of the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority in Siripuram. Indian Railways unveiled a new 18-star logo on 27 May 2026 after the formation of SCoR.

Background: The demand for a separate railway zone for Andhra Pradesh was a key commitment made at the time of the state's bifurcation in 2014. The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 - which divided Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and the residual Andhra Pradesh - carried a provision for establishing a new railway zone with headquarters at Visakhapatnam. The Union Cabinet gave ex post facto approval for the creation of the zone on 7 February 2025. For years, the Waltair division was a major point of contention between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh as it was one of India's most profitable divisions due to mineral freight corridors. The final resolution split Waltair into two - the coastal Andhra segments became the new Visakhapatnam division under SCoR, while Odisha's mineral corridors were retained under East Coast Railway's new Rayagada division. News on Air

Why in News:

The launch of SCoR on June 1, 2026, is one of the most exam-relevant infrastructure stories of the year for Railway, SSC CGL, Banking, and UPSC examinations. Railway zone questions - total number of zones, their headquarters, newest zone, abbreviation, and connection to AP Reorganisation Act - appear in almost every competitive exam. Today, SCoR becomes India's 18th railway zone, making it a guaranteed exam question.

Key Points to Remember:

SCoR begins operations: 1 June 2026
SCoR full form: South Coast Railway Zone
Headquarters: Visakhapatnam (also known as Vizag), Andhra Pradesh
SCoR is India's 18th railway zone
Gazette notification: 4 May 2026 by Central Government
Confirmed by: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (28 April 2026)
4 divisions: Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal (from South Central Railway) + Visakhapatnam (new)
Rail network coverage: 3,532 km; Stations: 385
Visakhapatnam division carved out of erstwhile Waltair division of East Coast Railway (ECoR)
Permanent HQ: Mudasarlova, Visakhapatnam - 12-storey building; cost: Rs 183 crore
Foundation stone of HQ building: PM Modi, 8 January 2025
Interim office: VMRDA Deck building, Siripuram, Visakhapatnam
Indian Railways unveiled new 18-star logo on 27 May 2026
SCoR General Manager: Sandeep Mathur
Reporting mark: SCoR
Legal basis: Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014
Cabinet approval (ex post facto): 7 February 2025
States covered: Andhra Pradesh, parts of Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka

Related Static GK:

Indian Railways total zones before SCoR: 17; after SCoR: 18
Indian Railways headquarters: Rail Bhavan, New Delhi
Indian Railways established: 1853 (first train ran from Mumbai to Thane on 16 April 1853)
Railway Minister (2026): Ashwini Vaishnaw
Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014: Bifurcated AP into Telangana (new state) and residual Andhra Pradesh; effective 2 June 2014
AP capital: Amaravati (proposed); Visakhapatnam (executive capital)
Previous 17th Railway Zone: South Western Railway (SWR) - HQ Hubli, Karnataka (formed 2003)
Waltair Division: One of India's most profitable divisions for mineral freight; divided between SCoR (Visakhapatnam division) and ECoR (Rayagada division)
Ex post facto approval: Formal approval granted after an action has already been taken
Visakhapatnam: Major port city on the eastern coast of India; also called Vizag; hosts Eastern Naval Command