17 Zonal Railways - as on 03rd December, 2025
Present Status as on 3rd December 2025 : Indian Railways has only 17 Zonal Railways
Confusion often arises due to:
• Konkan Railway
• Proposed South Coast Railway (SCoR)
The factual position is given below.
Konkan Railway is NOT a Zonal Railway.
It is a Government of India Undertaking jointly owned by Indian Railways + Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala & Goa State Governments
It functions independently.
Hence, it is not counted as a zonal railway.
South Coast Railway (SCoR) – Not Yet a Legal Zone
South Coast Railway has been announced but:
Its “appointed day” has NOT been notified.
Without the appointed day, the zone has no legal existence.
Therefore, South Coast Railway is not yet counted as a Zonal Railway.
Meaning of "Appointed Day" (New Railway Zones)
The date mentioned in the Gazette Notification.
Issued under Section 3(4) of the Railways Act, 1989.
From this date:
• Divisions transfer
• Assets and staff shift
• Jurisdiction changes
Operational work may start later, but legal birth occurs only on the appointed day.
FINAL CONCLUSION
✅ Number of Zonal Railways as of Today i.e., 3rd December, 2025 are 17 Only
Konkan Railway = PSU, not zone
South Coast Railway = announced, but not legally created
17 Zonal Railways as on 3rd December, 2025
Conclusion:
As of today(3rd December, 2025) , Indian Railways has only 17 Zonal Railways.
Konkan Railway is a Govt of India Undertaking and South Coast Railway (SCoR) is not yet a legal zone due to absence of Gazetted appointed day.
