Vijayasai seeks separate Rly division for TPT

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Former Rajya Sabha MP V. Vijayasai Reddy has urged the Centre to establish a separate railway division headquartered in Tirupati, arguing that the temple city’s growing passenger traffic and religious significance warrant dedicated railway administration.

In a representation submitted to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Vijayasai Reddy called for the creation of a “Balaji Railway Division” with Tirupati as its headquarters. He said the long-pending demand has gained greater relevance in view of the increasing number of pilgrims visiting the holy city every year.

According to Vijayasai Reddy, railway stations located in and around Tirupati district currently come under multiple divisions, including Guntakal, Vijayawada, Guntur and Chennai. This fragmented administrative structure has created hurdles in planning and executing infrastructure projects, while also affecting passenger management and railway service coordination.

“Having a single region spread across four different railway divisions creates operational difficulties. It impacts development works, passenger convenience, safety management and the efficient delivery of railway services,” he said.

Highlighting Tirupati’s importance as one of India’s most visited pilgrimage destinations, the former MP noted that nearly 2.5 crore devotees visited Tirupati in 2024 alone. Given the massive influx of pilgrims throughout the year, he said a dedicated railway division would enable authorities to focus specifically on improving connectivity, station infrastructure, crowd management and passenger amenities.

Vijayasai Reddy further pointed out that the recent operationalisation of the South Coast Railway Zone (SCoR) headquartered in Visakhapatnam presents an opportunity for the Centre to revisit the demand for a Tirupati-based railway division. He urged the Railway Ministry to conduct a detailed assessment and consider the proposal in the interest of pilgrims and rail passengers.

The demand for a separate railway division at Tirupati has been raised periodically by political leaders, public representatives and railway users’ associations, who argue that the city’s strategic importance and passenger volume justify an independent administrative setup. The latest appeal is expected to revive discussions on railway restructuring in southern Andhra Pradesh following the launch of the South Coast Railway Zone.