SCoR Marks First Independence Day with Focus on Safety

The South Coast Railway (SCoR) celebrated the 80th Independence Day with patriotic fervour at the Railway Cricket Ground in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, marking the zone’s first such celebrations since it became operational on June 1, 2026.

The ceremony began with the singing of Vande Mataram, introduced for the first time as part of the zonal celebrations, followed by the hoisting of the National Flag by SCoR General Manager Sandeep Mathur.

Mathur inspected a parade presented by personnel of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Civil Defence, and Bharat Scouts and Guides.

In his address, Mathur said the newly formed zone covers 3,532 route kilometres across four divisions: Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur and Guntakal.

He said safety remained the zone’s top priority and highlighted infrastructure projects worth ₹1.25 lakh crore that are under way. These include the ₹299-crore Visakhapatnam Yard Remodelling Project, digital signalling upgrades and track renewals.

Mathur also said the KAVACH automatic train protection system had been installed in 719 of the zone’s 1,070 locomotives.

The General Manager highlighted several passenger-oriented initiatives, including the operation of 76 special trains and the conversion of the Simhadri Express and Guntur-Vikarabad Express to Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) rakes.

He said 69 railway stations were being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

The celebrations also featured cultural performances and a security dog show by RPF personnel. Meritorious railway employees were presented with awards during the programme.