‘Post OSD for new railway zone proposed in A. P.’

There is an urgent need to post an OSD (Officer on Special Duty) for the proposed new railway zone in Andhra Pradesh.

The OSD can become General Manager of the new zone once it begins to function, says a retired railway employee, who is well-versed with the functioning of the Railways.

Appointing a committee to study the proposal for creation of a new zone and then giving it an extension is a strategy to dodge the issue and mislead the elected representatives, he says, and wonders why no committee was appointed when seven new zones were formed about a decade ago.

Once the OSD is posted, he can commence work on the new zone.

Land available

The Railways has over 780 acres of land in Visakhapatnam, of which 200 acres is in the vicinity of the railway station. There are a number of workshops and offices, and a temporary office can be arranged immediately to enable the OSD begin preliminary work. Visakhapatnam has the infrastructure to become the headquarters of the proposed new zone.

Former Railway Minister Mallikharjun Kharge favoured a new division headquarters at Gulbarga and, notwithstanding the opposition from the Ministry, had declared the Division Headquarters and appointed an OSD in March this year.

Efforts are on to operate the new division from October 1.

Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda is said to be keen on a new railway division in Mangalore.

“On the other hand, with the de-linking of the Waltair Division from ECoR becoming imminent, the division is likely to lose as neither ECoR nor SCR would focus on the region for extending important express trains operated by them to Visakhapatnam,” he added.