Indian Railways Launches New 18-Star Logo After Creation of South Coast Railway Zone

Indian Railways has unveiled the redesigned 18 star logo mark the creation of the South Coast Railway (SCoR) which will officially become the country’s 18th railway zone form June 1st, 2026. South Coast Railway Zone headquarter is located in Visakhapatnam and this new zone will oversee major divisions across the Andhra Pradesh and its neighboring states.

Indian Railways Gets The New 18-Star Logo

The Railway Board has approved the revised Indian Railways logo featuring 18 red stars and it representing the country’s 18 railway zones. This updated logo was officially cleared by the Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board after the operationalization of the South Coast Railway Zone.

This new design symbolizes the expansion of the Indian Railways administrative structure and also reflects the addition of a new railway zone after several years and this logo will now be used officially across the Indian Railways network.

South Coast Railway Becomes India’s 18th Railway Zone

The South Coast Railway (SCoR) will officially commence the operations from June 1, 2026. The Ministry of Railways issued a gazette notification on May 4, 2026 announced the formation of the new zone under the provisions of the Railways Act, 1989.

This new railway zone has been created by reorganizing portions of the existing,

• East Coast Railway (ECoR)
• South Central Railway (SCR)

The restructuring is expected to improve the administrative efficiency and operational management across the region.

What is New South Coast Railway Zone?

The South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone will include the existing Guntakal, Guntur and Vijayawada divisions which were earlier part of South Central Railway.

Additionally the reorganized portion of the Waltair division of the East Coast Railway will now become the Visakhapatnam division under the new zone.

At the same time the Centre has also approved the creation of the new Rayagada division under the East Coast Railway from June 1, 2026.

As part of this restructuring the existing Waltair division will be bifurcated into the two separate administrative divisions.

One part of the Waltair division will merge into the newly created Rayagada division under the East Coast Railway while the remaining portion will function as the Visakhapatnam division under South Coast Railway.

Headquarters to Be Located in Visakhapatnam

The headquarters of the South Coast Railway Zone will be established in the Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh and the Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the headquarters project on January 8, 2025.

Headquarters Project Details

• Location: Mudasarlova, Visakhapatnam
• Land Area: Around 52.2 Acres
• Estimated Cost: ₹183.58 Crore

The headquarters is being developed as the modern administrative center to support railway operations and infrastructure planning in the region.

Railway Divisions Under South Coast Railway

This newly formed South Coast Railway Zone will oversee the four major railway divisions.

Divisions Included in SCoR

1. Guntakal Division
2. Guntur Division
3. Vijayawada Division
4. Visakhapatnam (Waltair) Division

The zone will serve parts of the,

• Andhra Pradesh
• Telangana
• Karnataka
• Tamil Nadu

This broad geographical coverage is also expected to strengthen the railway connectivity and operational coordination.

Why the South Coast Railway Zone is Important

The creation of the separate South Coast Railway zone has long been a major demand in the Andhra Pradesh. The new zone is expected to improve the railway management and will accelerate the infrastructure development in the coastal region.

By bringing the key railway divisions under one administrative structure the  government aims to improve coordination, passenger services, freight movement and project execution.

This move is also likely to support the industrial growth and port connectivity in Andhra Pradesh and particularly areas around Visakhapatnam which is one of India’s major port cities.

Understanding Railway Zones in India

Indian Railways is divided into the multiple railway zones for the efficient administration and operations. Each Railway zone is headed by the General Manager and consists of several divisions.

Railway zones are created to improve the management efficiency, passenger convenience and operational coordination. Over the years this new zones have been established to address increasing rail traffic and regional demands.