The long-awaited establishment of the South Coast Railway (SCoR) Zone, with its headquarters in Visakhapatnam, is a step closer to realisation as the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has invited e-tenders for constructing the General Manager’s office complex and associated facilities. The tender process, which closes on December 27, 2024, includes a pre-bid conference scheduled for December 2 and bidding commencement from December 13. The office complex, estimated at Rs 1.49 billion, will span 12 floors, including two basement levels, a ground floor, and nine additional floors. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the tender announcement on social media, signaling progress on a project long demanded by the people of north Andhra Pradesh. Earlier, the Railway Board had clarified that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the SCoR Zone was under review. As per an RTI response, 52.2 acres of land at Mudasarlova in Visakhapatnam have been handed over by the state government for the project, though no fixed timeline for the zone’s inauguration has been set. The SCoR Zone, first announced by then Railway Minister Piyush Goyal in February 2019, addresses decades of dissatisfaction among north Andhra residents. Since the South Central Railway (SCR) zone’s formation in 1966 excluded Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam districts, calls for the Waltair Division's inclusion in SCR or the creation of a new zone gained momentum. Neglect persisted with the establishment of the East Coast Railway in Bhubaneswar, fueling further demands for a zone headquartered in Visakhapatnam. The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014 renewed hope for a dedicated railway zone, bolstering local aspirations. This tender announcement marks a significant milestone in fulfilling a long-standing regional demand. (TOI)