KOCHI: In a statement explaining the positives of the decision to transfer the entire Mangaluru area to the Mysuru division of the South Western Railway, the Railway Board said that the move will not result in Keralam losing any stations.
“Because Mangaluru city is in Karnataka. Palakkad division retains its entire Keralam territory across Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad and Thrissur districts. Investment in rail infrastructure in any division or zone is done based on network requirements irrespective of the earnings of the division or zone,” said the Railway Board statement. As per the board, the Mangaluru railway area is currently served by three different railways: two zones - Southern Railway and South Western Railway together and Konkan Railway Corporation.
“This has created a multiplicity of operational jurisdictions within a compact and traffic-critical stretch of the network. The Railways is now rationalising this arrangement purely from operational efficiency considerations by bringing the entire Mangaluru area under a single zone, South Western Railway. Padil, near Mangaluru, was a common interchange point for three separate operational boundaries of Southern Railway and South Western Railway together with the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd,” said the statement.
A train arriving at Mangaluru from either the Goa side or the Hassan side had to cross three operational jurisdictions and interchange points before reaching the station, causing avoidable delays and difficulty to manage congestion in train operations, said the statement. The board explained that Mangaluru lies at the far end of Palakkad division and is over 350 km from its headquarters.
“Mangaluru’s Railway line links the Mangaluru-Hassan-Mysuru line and connectivity to Bengaluru already lies within South Western Railway’s operating area. Therefore, bringing Mangaluru under the same railway zone would enable unified planning and control, facilitating more effective coordination of train operations, timetabling, better passenger experience and freight movement,” the statement pointed out.
The change is administrative, confined to Karnataka only and gives Mangaluru and the coastal ghat section single-point operational control, said the board.
“In the past decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased investment in Keralam railway network substantially. There is a clear roadmap for development of railway network in Keralam. The annual average outlay for various infrastructural works in Keralam has risen from Rs 372 crore during the UPA period to Rs 3,795 crore during 2026-27.”
As per the board, the Mangaluru jurisdiction rationalisation is purely an operational efficiency-driven measure. “We request the people of Keralam to see this decision in the light of improving operational efficiency,” said the statement. Projects worth more than Rs 20,000 crore are currently under execution in Keralam, comprising nine multitracking / new-line projects, 145 flyovers and underpasses, and redevelopment of 19 stations.