Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu’s failure to make any specific statement on the much-awaited new railway zone with headquarters in Visakhapatnam, leave alone declaring the zone, came as a big disappointment for the people of the region.
There has been a demand for a new zone in Visakhapatnam for over a decade. The assurance given under the AP Reorganisation Bill that a new railway zone would be sanctioned to Andhra Pradesh, post bifurcation, renewed their hopes.
A committee was formed to study the feasibility of formation of a new railway zone in A.P. The committee was supposed to have given its report by December 2, 2014. It was, however, given an extension and finally submitted its report three months ago.
“The BJP leaders had created an impression that the Railway Minister would announce the decision during his visit to the city at the meeting being organised to mark the one-year rule of the Modi-government,” J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy, Visakha Railway Zone Sadhana Samithi convener and CPI State leader, recalled.
Statement draws flak
“The political lobby in Vijayawada is very strong and there are out to mar the prospects of Visakhapatnam. We will revive the all-party agitation for location of the zone headquarters in Visakhapatnam,” he said.
“The statement of Mr. Suresh Prabhu that the Cabinet would decide on the issues is ‘mischievous’. The Railway Ministry has to take a decision as had been done in the past prior to the creation of new railway zones,” CPI (M) State secretariat member Ch. Narasinga Rao said and added that the BJP owed an explanation to the people on the issue.
“Delays will lead to fresh demands from different quarters. Mr. Suresh Prabhu’s statement that the proposal is under ‘active consideration’ gives rise to the suspicion that a conspiracy is being hatched to deprive Visakhapatnam of the headquarters. Further delay will only lead to loss for north Andhra,” B. Ganga Rao, CPI (M) city secretary said.
‘Unfortunate’
“It took about six years for operationalisation of seven new railway zones after they were declared in 1997. It’s unfortunate that no decision was announced even after completion of one-year rule by the Modi-government. A decision should be taken immediately and work should start without any more delay to gain the confidence of the people,” said Ch. Gandhi, East Coast Railway Shramik Union general secretary.
Suresh Prabhu’s failure to give any assurance on the zone came as a big disappointment
