Kerala CM asks PM to halt Mangaluru transfer from Palakkad railway division
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to defer the Railway Board's decision to transfer the Mangaluru region up to Ullal from the Palakkad railway division to the Mysuru division of the South Western Railway. The transfer is scheduled to take effect from October 1.
In his letter, Mr. Satheesan said the decision, issued on August 21, was taken without consulting the state government, despite its significant implications for railway infrastructure and development across northern Kerala.
He highlighted that Mangaluru has been part of the Palakkad division for decades. The transfer would include Mangaluru Central railway station, Mangaluru Junction, and the railway facilities serving the Mangaluru port, such as Panambur – a major freight and container-handling centre.
According to the Chief Minister, the Mangaluru area contributes more than 90% of the Palakkad division's freight revenue, estimated at ₹650 crore. It also accounts for more than half of the division's total revenue of approximately ₹1,650 crore. Removing the region, he argued, would weaken the division's financial foundation. This, in turn, could affect resource allocation, infrastructure projects, train services, and passenger amenities in the Malabar region.
He also pointed out that the Palakkad division had already lost the Coimbatore region when the Salem division was formed in 2007. The proposed transfer of Mangaluru would further shrink its jurisdiction and revenue base.
Railway divisions are not just administrative units, the Chief Minister said, as their boundaries directly influence connectivity, infrastructure investment, freight movement, and passenger services.
Mr. Satheesan therefore urged the Prime Minister to direct the Railway Ministry to reconsider the decision after due consultations with the Kerala government and other stakeholders. He also requested that the Palakkad division's current jurisdiction be retained, and that greater investment and services be provided for northern Kerala.
