The South Coastal Railway Zone will become operational from June 2026.

• As part of the administrative reorganization of Indian Railways, the South Coast Railway Zone is set to formally commence operations on June 1, 2026.

• Its headquarters has been established in Visakhapatnam.

• The Ministry of Railways issued a notification to this effect on May 4, 2026, thereby making it the 18th railway zone of Indian Railways.

• The newly formed South Coast Railway Zone incorporates the Guntakal, Guntur, and Vijayawada divisions of the South Central Railway.

• Additionally, a new division named Visakhapatnam has been constituted.

• The erstwhile Waltair Division was bifurcated; 696 kilometers of its territory were merged into the Rayagada Division of the East Coast Railway, while the remaining 463 kilometers were placed under the jurisdiction of the South Coast Railway as the Visakhapatnam Division.