South Coastal Railway Zone: ₹1.06 Lakh Crore Projects to Transform Andhra Pradesh Rail Network

India’s railway transformation drive in the South received a major boost as Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Gazette Notification for the South Coastal Railway Zone will be issued, with June 1, 2026 set as the effective date.

The announcement, made at the Google Cloud India AI Hub groundbreaking ceremony in Visakhapatnam, signals a significant administrative and infrastructure milestone aimed at strengthening railway governance and connectivity in Andhra Pradesh.

Record Investment and Massive Project Pipeline

Highlighting the scale of ongoing development, the Minister said Andhra Pradesh has received a record railway budget allocation of ₹10,134 crore, a sharp rise from just ₹886 crore allocated earlier for the combined Andhra Pradesh-Telangana region.

He revealed that railway projects worth approximately ₹1.06 lakh crore are currently underway across the state, targeting improved connectivity to:

• Ports and logistics hubs

• Tourism destinations

• Major urban centres

Unprecedented Infrastructure Expansion

Vaishnaw outlined a wide-ranging infrastructure push:

• 74 railway stations under redevelopment (modernisation drive)

• 832 flyovers and underpasses completed

• 299 more under construction

• 1,759 km of railway track completed

• 3,300 km of track currently under construction

He described the station redevelopment programme as a “historic accomplishment”, reflecting a nationwide push to upgrade passenger infrastructure.

100% Electrification Achieved

In a major sustainability milestone, Andhra Pradesh has achieved 100% electrification of its railway network, placing it among the leading states in railway modernisation and green transport.

Boost to Passenger and Freight Connectivity

The state is already seeing enhanced services, with:

• 16 Vande Bharat trains

• 22 Amrit Bharat trains

operating across key routes, improving travel speed and passenger comfort.

On the freight side, the government is strengthening cargo and container train services, especially along the East Coast Railway Corridor, to improve logistics efficiency and support economic growth.

Four-Line Corridor to Double Capacity

A major upgrade is underway to convert the entire East Coast Railway Corridor into a four-line network, which is expected to:

• Double carrying capacity

• Enable operation of up to 500 additional trains

This expansion is critical for handling both passenger demand and freight movement, particularly for port connectivity.

‘High-Speed Diamond’ to Redefine Regional Travel

Looking ahead, the Minister unveiled an ambitious high-speed rail vision for Southern India, dubbed the “High-Speed Diamond”, which aims to drastically cut travel times between major cities:

• Amaravati – Hyderabad: ~70 minutes

• Amaravati – Chennai: ~112 minutes

• Hyderabad – Pune: ~1 hour 55 minutes

• Pune – Mumbai: ~48 minutes

• Chennai – Bengaluru: ~73 minutes

• Hyderabad – Bengaluru: ~2 hours 8 minutes

The network is expected to boost mobility, economic integration, and regional connectivity across southern states.

Andhra Pradesh as Emerging Rail & Logistics Hub

Vaishnaw emphasised that these initiatives are part of a broader strategy to transform Andhra Pradesh into a major railway and logistics hub, supporting industrial growth and regional development.

He reiterated the Centre’s commitment to balanced infrastructure development across southern states, asserting that large-scale investments in railways will play a key role in driving economic expansion.

A Strategic Infrastructure Push

With administrative restructuring, record investments, and ambitious high-speed plans, Andhra Pradesh’s railway network is poised for a comprehensive transformation—one that could significantly enhance connectivity, trade, and regional growth in the coming decade.