The failure of the Centre to operationalise the Visakhapatnam-headquartered South Coast Railway (SCoR), more than five years after announcing it, has drawn flak from the CPI(M), which demanded urgent measures for starting work on the railway zone.
During the last five years, the Centre has been issuing statements frequently on the operationalisation of the railway zone. Though an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) was appointed long ago and he had given the Detailed Project Report (DPR), a few years ago, the work on construction of the zonal headquarters has not begun to this day, CPI(M) State Committee leader Ch. Narasinga Rao told a media conference here on Monday.
He also found fault with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for failing to highlight the issues pertaining to the undue delay in the operationalisation of the railway zone and continuation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) in the public sector during his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.
The CPI(M) leader demanded immediate appointment of a General Manager for SCoR and commencement of the work on construction of the zonal headquarters. He recalled that the BJP leaders had blamed the YSRCP government, before the general elections, for the delay in the construction of the zonal headquarters. The YSRCP leaders had also claimed that the land was already allotted for the zone.
Now, after the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance came to power in the State, the new governments were silent on the issue. Mr. Narasinga Rao recalled that the first OSD of SCoR had given two alternatives for construction of the zonal headquarters, in the DPR. While one land parcel was close to Visakhapatnam railway station, the other was located near Mudasorlava reservoir at Arilova in the city.
He alleged that the BJP leaders were insisting on setting up of the zone at Arilova, as they were keen on sale of the railway land, at Wireless Colony, near the railway station. Condemning the attitude of the BJP leaders, the CPI(M) leader also demanded continuation of the Waltair Division with its headquarters in Visakhapatnam and opposed its merger with Vijayawada Division. This would inconvenience the employees, who have to travel frequently to Vijayawada.
The absence of the zonal headquarters in Visakhapatnam, a major junction between Chennai and Kolkata, was one of the fastest growing cities, was resulting in problems to major industries like Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Visakhapatnam Port and BHEL in the allocation of rakes. He said that the State government should exert pressure on the Centre for the early operationalisation of the zone.
Published - July 08, 2024 06:35 pm IST
