Since its formation on June one, South Coast Railway has emerged as a top-performing zone, executing five new railway line projects and 24 multi-tracking works with investments of approximately Rs 544.79 billion (bn), while projects worth nearly Rs 708.65 billion (bn) are in the pipeline. The administration said it is constructing more than 300 road over bridges and road under bridges to improve safety and connectivity. The release noted sanctions including a Rs 3 billion remodelling of the Visakhapatnam yard with additional lines, platforms and electronic interlocking.

It added that a Rs 12.05 billion quadrupling project between Guntakal and Ballari and Rs 200 million (mn) in crowd management facilities at Tirupati have been approved. The zone has commissioned yard remodelling at Narsapur-Vijayawada and Garudaballi-Visakhapatnam and installed Kavach on nearly 100 locomotives, with the first 100 km section planned for commissioning by the end of 2026. Operating from June one, the zone has focused on building infrastructure, manpower deployment and control systems.

The zone comprises four divisions covering nearly 3,532 route kilometres and 6,455 track kilometres and has an anticipated originating revenue of Rs 155 billion (bn) and freight loading exceeding 100 million tonnes (mn t) annually. Senior officials inspected nearly 1,700 route kilometres to assess infrastructure, review works and strengthen safety standards. Passenger-centred development has included inauguration of three redeveloped Amrit Bharat stations and redevelopment works at 70 additional stations.

Operational performance included originating passenger revenue of Rs 6.71 billion (bn), handling 29.4 million originating passengers and registering an annual growth rate of three per cent that resulted in overall originating earnings of Rs 24.93 billion (bn). The zone converted four train-on-demand services into regular trains, operated 76 special trains carrying nearly 86,000 passengers and attached 408 additional coaches. Initiatives to enhance passenger amenities included sleeping pods at Vijayawada station and premium catering services at Visakhapatnam.