Visakhapatnam: Former MP and former Minister, Konatala Ramakrishna had written a letter to Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu asking him to expedite the process to establish a railway zone for Andhra Pradesh at Visakhapatnam. The former minister said that the railway zone for residuary State of Andhra Pradesh was part of the AP Reorganisation Act 2014 and it was the responsibility of the government to fulfil it. The former minister had earlier written a letter on Septmber 3, 2016 and sought to remind the Minister of the Constitutional obligation to be fulfilled.

He said that the AP Reorgansiation Act had promised to complete the process within six months from the appointed day, June 2, and expedite the process. However, it is almost three years that the State was bifurcated, he said and regretted that the constitutional obligation is not fulfilled yet. He recalled that a committee was constituted to examine the zone issue and a report was already submitted to the government. He wondered why the government is sitting on the report without getting into action.

He said he had filed a petition in the Hyderabad High Court seeking expedition of establishing railway zone with headquarters at Visakhapatnam and added that the petition is set to come for hearing in the first week of June. By then the State would complete three years after reorganisation, he added and wanted the government to act at least now to fulfil the constitutional obligation. He said that the people of the State were waiting for the zone to help in the development of the State. Denial of zone would make people fight for their rights, he asserted.