The final conclusion about creating a new railway zone with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters is that it is a political decision and under the prevailing situation in the State all efforts would be made to realise this dream, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries D. Purandeswari said here on Tuesday.
Speaking at a function at the Railway Station after flagging off weekly express trains to Gandhidham and Bhagat ki Kothi (Jodhpur) Ms. Purandeswari said she had explained to the Group of Ministers (on bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh) the necessity to have a new railway zone. “Since there is no clarity on the zone since the GoM said it will be formed subject to feasibility, I told the GoM to give us a clear assurance. We all know what will happen if the feasibility clause is there. So I insisted on a clear assurance,” Ms. Purandeswari said. She had also taken up the matter with UPA II president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Seven trains were introduced since she was elected from Visakhapatnam but every time a train was introduced it was like scaling the Everest, the Union Minister said while describing how much effort had to be made. She made several visits to the Railway ministry and Railway Board to secure facilities for Visakhapatnam and north coastal Andhra. She was also not happy though seven new trains were running, since connectivity had to improve.
