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Visakhapatnam vs Rayagada Division: How Waltair railway map has changed from June 1
The century-old Waltair Railway Division has been split into Visakhapatnam and Rayagada divisions from June 1. Check the new railway map, routes, jurisdiction and what it means for passengers.
In a gazette notification issued on May 4, 2026, the Ministry of Railways said that the existing Waltair Division of East Coast Railway will be bifurcated in two parts from June 1. (Image generated using AI)
Waltair Railway Division: Starting June 1, the century-old Waltair Railway Division has been reorganised into two separate divisions: Visakhapatnam and Rayagada, marking a major restructuring of railway administration in the region. The division came into existence in 1893, when it was established following the construction of the 96-km Cuttack-Khurda Road-Puri railway line, and went on to become one of Indian Railways’ oldest and most strategically important divisions.
History of Waltair Railway Division
Waltair gained prominence in 1933 as a crucial rail hub for cargo movement linked to Visakhapatnam Port. The division was managed by the Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR) until 1952, after which it became part of the Eastern Railway (ER) and later the South Eastern Railway (SER) in 1955. Since April 1, 2003, Waltair had been under the East Coast Railway (ECoR) before being bifurcated into the Visakhapatnam and Rayagada divisions on June 1, 2026.
Bifurcation of Waltair Division: Gazette Notification
In a gazette notification issued on May 4, 2026, the Ministry of Railways said that the existing Waltair Division of East Coast Railway will be bifurcated in two parts from June 1. One part will remain under the existing East Coast Railway and will be renamed as the new Rayagada Division, while the remaining portion of the Waltair Division will become part of the newly created South Coast Railway (SCoR) Zone and will be renamed as the Visakhapatnam Division.
“Existing Waltair Division of East Coast Railway will be bifurcated in two parts. One part of it will be part of the existing East Coast Railway as new Rayagada division and balance part of Waltair division will be part of the new South Coast Railway to be renamed as Visakhapatnam division,” reads the statement.
Visakhapatnam Division: Jurisdiction
According to the gazette notification, the newly formed Visakhapatnam Division under the South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone will comprise a total of 463 route kilometres (RKm). The division’s jurisdiction will cover four major railway sections and three peripheral lines, forming a key part of the operational network of the new railway zone. The sections and lines included under the division are as follows:
Visakhapatnam Division: Area of Jurisdiction
South Coast Railway | w.e.f. 01 June 2026
463 km Total route length
4 sections Main + peripheral lines
01 Jun 2026 Effective date
Main Sections
Ichchapuram (incl.) – Palasa – Visakhapatnam – Duvvada (incl.)
270 km
Vizianagaram (incl.) – Kuneru (incl.)
102 km
Naupada Jn – Paralakhemundi (excl.)
39 km
Bobbili Jn. – Salur
17 km
Peripheral Lines
Simhachalam North – Duvvada bypass Vadalapudi – Duvvada Visakhapatnam – Jaggayapalem etc.
Combined: 35 kmTotal Route Length
463 km
Source: Indian Railways
Rayagada Railway Division Jurisdiction
Rayagada Railway Division (RGDA) Map (Image ECoR)
According to the gazette notification, the newly created Rayagada Railway Division will have jurisdiction over a total of 696 Route kilometres (RKm). The division will comprise four sections: the 164-km Koraput-Singapur Road section, the 442-km Kottavalasa (excluding)-Kirandul (KK Line) section, the 36-km Kuneru (excluding)-Theruvali (excluding) section, and the 54-km Gunupur (including)-Paralakhemundi (including) section.
New Rayagada Division: Area of Jurisdiction
East Coast Railway | w.e.f. 01 June 2026
696 km Total route length
4 Sections under jurisdiction
01 Jun 2026 Effective date
Transferred from All sections transferred from the Existing Waltair Division
Section-wise Route Breakdown
Koraput – Singapur Road
164 km
Kottavalasa (excl.) – Kirandul (KK Line)
442 km
Kuneru (excl.) – Theruvali (excl.)
36 km
Gunupur (incl.) – Paralakhemundi (incl.)
54 km
Total Route Length
696 km
Source: Indian Railways
Rayagada Railway Division Routes
According to Deepak Rout, Chief Public Relations Officer, ECoR, the new Rayagada Railway Division is expected to significantly enhance train connectivity and strengthen freight infrastructure in the region. The division will serve six districts of Odisha: Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Gajapati and Kandhamal. A total of 68 railway stations will be there.
Major Projects in Rayagada Railway Division
East Coast Railway | New lines and capacity enhancement works
6 Major projects
620+ km Combined route length
5 New + 1 New lines + doubling
Project-wise Breakdown
New Line
Jeypore – Malkangiri New Line
130 km
New Line
Jeypore – Nabarangpur New Line
38 km
New Line
Junagarh – Nabarangpur New Line
116.21 km
New Line
Malkangiri – Pandurangapuram via Bhadrachalam New Line
173.61 km
New Line
Gunupur – Therubali New Line
73.62 km
Doubling
Kottavalasa – Koraput Doubling Project
189.278 km
Note: Capacity enhancement works on the KK Line and other operational improvement projects are also expected to gain momentum under the new divisional setup.
Source: Indian Railways
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