Vizag MP Sribharat seeks early Gazette notification for SCoR zone

Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat has appealed to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the early release of the Gazette notification for the South Coast Railway (SCoR) Zone to enable administrative functioning of the zone and addressing long-standing aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Sribharat met the Railway Minister in New Delhi on Wednesday (December 17) and discussed several key issues concerning railway infrastructure and public safety in Andhra Pradesh. While acknowledging the Ministry’s proactive approach in strengthening the railways in Visakhapatnam region and expediting the works relating to SCoR, he impressed upon the Railway Minister the need for release of the Gazette notification for the operationalisation of the zone.

He also sought urgent intervention on critical pedestrian safety issues in Srungavarapukota constituency. He requested the sanction of a Foot Over Bridge (FOB) at Mangalapalem village, Kothavalasa Mandal, where residents, students, and senior citizens are compelled to cross active railway tracks due to the absence of a safe pedestrian crossing.

He also raised the issue of the Road Under Bridge (R.U.B.) at Kothavalasa, which remains waterlogged for most of the year, making it inaccessible for pedestrians and forcing thousands of daily commuters and nearly 3,000 students to risk unsafe crossings. To resolve this, he urged the Ministry to approve either the construction of a Foot Over Bridge (FOB) or a dedicated pedestrian footpath ramp alongside the R.U.B., supported by a scientific drainage system.

Mr. Sribharat emphasised that timely action on these matters would significantly improve public safety, ease daily commuting, and enhance overall connectivity. MP Sribharat said that the Railway Minister assured him that the issues raised would be examined for appropriate action.