After years of demand, Mangaluru railway region to be part of South Western Railway

Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna has announced that the Union government has decided to bring the Mangaluru railway region under the South Western Railway (SWR). The minister described the decision as 'historic' and said it fulfils a long-standing demand of the public and rail passengers of coastal Karnataka.

According to a statement from the minister, one of his top priorities after taking charge was to resolve the administrative confusion in the Mangaluru region. He visited Mangaluru in July 2024 and held a high-level meeting with the General Managers of the Southern Railway (SR), South Western Railway (SWR), and the Chairman and Managing Director of the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL). The meeting was aimed at finding a permanent solution to a problem that had remained unresolved for years.

Mr. Somanna expressed gratitude to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for his 'immediate response' and approval of the proposal prepared in the interest of the public.

The minister said that integrating the Mangaluru region with SWR would eliminate administrative hurdles, ensure speedy redressal of public grievances, and give new impetus to railway infrastructure development and connectivity in the coastal region.

The decision is expected to benefit passengers and freight movement in the region, which has long faced uncertainty regarding its railway administration. The area had been under multiple railway zones, leading to confusion in operations, passenger services, and project implementation.

Details on the implementation timeline and the specific divisions that will be transferred have not been disclosed. The formal order from the Railway Board is awaited.

Political leaders and passenger associations in coastal Karnataka have repeatedly urged the Centre to address the issue. The move is seen as a major step toward simplifying railway administration in the region.