East Coast Railway (ECoR)

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) is one of the major coastal and freight-heavy zones of Indian Railways. It was officially inaugurated on April 1, 2003, as part of a national structural reorganization to better serve the growing trade and transport needs of eastern India's coastal belt. Earlier, the lines in this region were managed as part of the South Eastern Railway zone. Today, the administrative headquarters of the East Coast Railway is located in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha.

This railway zone covers a wide geographical footprint along the eastern coast of India. Its network spans primarily across the entire state of Odisha, along with key bordering areas of northern Andhra Pradesh and eastern Chhattisgarh. To manage its operations smoothly, the zone is organized into three main administrative divisions: Khurda Road, Sambalpur, and Waltair (centered in Visakhapatnam). Together, these divisions look after thousands of kilometers of tracks, major locomotive maintenance facilities, and hundreds of passenger stations operating across coastal plains, forests, and hilly terrains.

East Coast Railway operates important passenger hubs, including Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack, Sambalpur, and Visakhapatnam. The zone runs many high-priority long-distance passenger trains, such as the Purushottam Express, Utkal Express, Bhubaneswar Rajdhani, and Vande Bharat Express services. It carries millions of tourists and spiritual pilgrims every year to world-famous heritage sites, including the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the Sun Temple at Konark, and scenic natural attractions like Chilika Lake and the beaches of Visakhapatnam.