The Opposition BJD and Congress have raised concerns about the future of the Waltair railway division after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a new railway division in Rayagada, southern Odisha, on Monday.

They said that Prime Minister should have clarified the status of the Waltair division while laying the foundation stone.

The Opposition alleged that significant portions of East Coast Railway (ECoR), previously under the Waltair division, are now set to be merged with the South Coast Railway (SCoR) Division.

They said that three districts of Odisha — Rayagada, Koraput and Kalahandi — would remain under the Rayagada division while the rest would be absorbed into the SCoR.

The Opposition further accused the ministry of railways of using the establishment of the new division as a pretext to bifurcate the Waltair division, which was previously a part of the ECoR.

They claimed that this move diverted the revenue surplus of the ECoR to the SCoR, located in Andhra Pradesh, as a political gesture to appease the N Chandrababu Naidu-led government.

While the Centre claimed that the foundation stone for the railway division would strengthen the state’s railway infrastructure, promoting tourism, business, and employment in Odisha — especially in south Odisha, the Opposition claimed that Odisha would be the ultimate loser.

“We are opposing the splitting of the Waltair division and thus taking away the major parts from the East Coast Railway and merge it with SCoR ” said former Union minister and senior Congress leader Srikant Jena.

Jena added: “A major portion, which are now a part of the ECoR, will merge with the SCoR zone and jeopardise the interests of Odisha. The ECoR has been a top revenue generator for Indian Railways since its inception. The ECoR has so far contributed above ₹3 lakh crore in revenue. If the Waltair division is divided and a major portion is merged with the ScoR, the ECoR will certainly lose its significance.”

In a letter to Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Jena said that Majhi should bring to the Prime Minister’s notice how the move to divide the Waltair division and merging it with the Southern Railways would completely weaken the ECoR and jeopardise the interest of
the state.

The Congress leader said: “Another division will be created in Odisha by integrating the Baleswar, Mayurbhanj, and Sundargarh districts from the South Eastern Railway (SER) to ECoR. Odisha government should pass a resolution to this effect in the Odisha Assembly.”

BJD leader and former MP Pradeep Majhi said, “The East Coast railway division will no longer be a profit-making entity. The Centre’s move to divide the Waltair zone is aimed at pleasing the Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh.”