Indian Railways’ New Rayagada Division: Indian Railways’ Rayagada Division will become operational from today. The foundation stone for its headquarters was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 6, 2025. The new division is expected to serve as a key hub for rail connectivity and infrastructure development in South Odisha and adjoining areas.
The Rayagada railway division will fall under East Coast Railway (ECoR) zone. According to Deepak Rout, Chief Public Relations Officer, ECoR, the new rail division is expected to further strengthen railway operations, improve project monitoring, enhance infrastructure planning and accelerate execution of development initiatives across the region.
“With a dedicated Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) stationed at Rayagada, coordination with State Government agencies, district administrations, industries and local communities is expected to become faster and more effective,” the CPRO said.
Rayagada Railway Division Gazette Notification
In a gazette notification issued on May 4, 2026, the Ministry of Railways said: “It is further notified for general information that Central Government hereby constitutes a new division at RAYAGADA under East Coast Railway with effect from 01.06.2026.”
According to the notification, the existing Waltair Division of East Coast Railway will be bifurcated in two parts. 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.
Rayagada Railway Division Jurisdiction: Routes
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 Latest News
According to ECoR, the basic infrastructure required for commencement of operations has already been put in place, while development of the divisional headquarters, office buildings and staff facilities is progressing in a phased manner. The division will be headed by a DRM and supported by around 40 officers and nearly 600 railway employees.
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“The establishment of the divisional headquarters is expected to provide a significant boost to the local economy through increased demand for housing, transportation, education, healthcare and commercial services, creating new opportunities for local businesses and entrepreneurs,” it said.
Rayagada Railway Division Map (Image ECoR)
Rayagada Railway Division Area: What it means for passengers, train connectivity
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.
The new division is also likely to generate employment opportunities, attract investments in logistics and warehousing, boost industrial and commercial activities across southern Odisha.
It further said that the newly created Rayagada Railway Division is expected to speed up the execution and monitoring of railway infrastructure projects in the region. The division will oversee projects spanning nearly 1360 km, with an estimated investment of around Rs 20,020 crore.
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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
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
Rayagada Railway Division: Boost to freight infrastructure
The Rayagada Railway Division is also expected to emerge as a major freight hub in the region. “Iron ore from the Kirandul–Bacheli mining belt will continue to dominate freight traffic, while movement of alumina, bauxite, steel products, slag, fly ash and other industrial commodities is expected to increase steadily.
The division is projected to handle more than 40 million tonnes of freight annually, underlining its growing importance as a logistics and freight hub. Improved connectivity is also expected to support increased movement of foodgrains and essential commodities to tribal and remote regions,” the ECoR said.
Rayagada Railway Division: Development of GatiShakti Cargo Terminals
The zonal railway said that GatiShakti Cargo Terminals (GCTs) will be developed at Singaram, Tikiri, Bhansi, Mallividu and Bheja. It added that these facilities will strengthen rail-based logistics for mining, aluminium, steel and other core industries.
“The proposed Bhansi and Mallividu terminals are expected to handle around 7 MTPA and 5 MTPA respectively. Additional freight facilities, including industrial sidings and bulk cargo infrastructure, will further enhance logistics efficiency and industrial connectivity. The division is also expected to unlock freight potential from agricultural produce and forest products across the region,” it stated.
