Rajya Sabha memer G.V.L. Narasimha Rao says rail zone with Visakhapatnam as headquarters will be established and steps are being taken for it
Rajya Sabha memer G.V.L. Narasimha Rao says rail zone with Visakhapatnam as headquarters will be established and steps are being taken for it
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the YSR Congress Party leaders have condemned the reports, which appeared in a section of the media, that the establishment of South Coast Railway Zone (SCoR), with its headquarters in Visakhapatnam, was a closed chapter.
Rajya Sabha member from BJP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao clarified that the railway zone will be established with Visakhapatnam as headquarters and measures were already being taken for it. He said that the Railway Minister had given this clarification in response to his query during the last Parliament session. He also said that the Railway Board Chairman V.K. Tripathi had clarified to him that there was no truth in the reports, which appeared in some newspapers on the railway zone on Wednesday. Mr. Narasimha Rao called upon the people not to believe rumours.
MLC P.V.N. Madhav has clarified there is no dispute regarding the establishment of the railway zone. The Cabinet has given ‘in principle’ approval for the project. Refuting reports, which appeared in a section of the media, he wondered what was the basis of the reports and how they were published after the Cabinet had given its approval for the project.
In response to an unstarred question from Mr. Narasimha Rao in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2022, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said that an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) was posted in Visakhapatnam and directed to undertake planning and preparatory work for formation of the new zone.
The Railway Minister also said that the land for construction of S Co R zonal headquarters office complex has also been identified and its territorial jurisdiction has been taken after due consideration taking all relevant factors into account including administrative and operational requirements. The proposal of the Ministry of Railways for setting up of the new zone and a new division with headquarters at Rayagada, has been approved by the Cabinet.
‘False news’
YSRCP national general secretary V. Vijaya Sai Reddy dismissed the reports, which appeared in a section of the media, as false. He said that the S Co R issue had not even come up for discussion at the meeting held in Delhi on the assurances given in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. He alleged that a section of the media, which was favourable to the TDP, had published the false news. He sought that those who had published the false news should be prepared to tender a public apology and he offered to resign as Rajya Sabha Member, if the railway zone was not established.
