The process of demarcating the areas for the new Rayagada railway division in Odisha is currently underway, with an official notification to be issued once the area identification is completed. Railway sources confirmed that the demarcation is in progress, but the division has not yet been officially notified.
The Eastern Coast Railway (ECoR) zone, headquartered in Bhubaneswar, currently oversees three railway divisions: Khurda Road, Sambalpur, and Waltair. The new Rayagada railway division, once operational, will be carved out of the Waltair division. It will be the fourth division within the ECoR zone and the 70th railway division in the country.
On January 6, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a building that will house the office of the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) for Rayagada. However, there was some confusion in the media about this event. Sources clarified that while Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the office building’s foundation for Rayagada, the actual formal establishment of the division itself is still in progress. It is important to note that the Prime Minister had previously inaugurated the Jammu railway division, making it the 69th division in India. The Rayagada division will be developed following similar processes to those used for the Jammu division. Once completed, the new division is expected to enhance railway connectivity and infrastructure in the region, providing a boost to the local economy and improving transportation services in Odisha. The construction of the DRM office building is expected to be an important step in this development. The formal notification for Rayagada’s division is eagerly anticipated and is expected to improve regional railway management and service delivery.