NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Members of Parliament from Keralam met Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday, September 21, 2026, to discuss the ongoing restructuring of the Palakkad Railway Division. During the meeting Shri.Vaishnaw highlighted that the allocation for railway development in Keralam rose nearly tenfold from ₹372 crore during 2009-14 to ₹3,795 crore in FY 2026-27.
Railway Developments in Keralam
Railway projects worth more than ₹20,000 crore are currently under execution in Keralam. These include nine multitracking and new-line projects, 145 flyovers and underpasses, and 19 station redevelopment projects.
The minister also highlighted Keralam’s railway electrification, stating that the state has achieved 100% electrification. Since 2014, six major doubling and gauge-conversion projects covering around 670 km have been completed at a total cost of ₹4,316 crore.
He further stated that the next phase of railway development in Keralam is already underway,such as Angamali-Sabarimala new line,Tirunnavaya-Guruvayur new line,Ernakulam Kumbalam doubling and Alappuzha-Ambalapuzha doubling projects focused on increasing capacity, improving connectivity and strengthening the state’s railway infrastructure.
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He highlighted 145,Road Over Bridges(ROB)/Road Under Bridges(RUB) are under construction at a cost of ₹4,786 Crore.
Passenger services have also expanded. Keralam currently has six Vande Bharat services and six Amrit Bharat services. A total of 22 new train services have been introduced in the state over the last two years.
Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 35 stations have been identified for redevelopment, of which work has been completed at 11 stations. These include Angamali for Kaladi, Chalakudi, Changanassery, Chirayinkeezh, Ferok, Kuttippuram, Nilambur Road, Shoranur Junction, Tripunithura, Vadakara and Wadakkanchery.
Indian Railways Ministry is also preparing for further capacity expansion in Keralam. Detailed Project Report surveys are being carried out for more than 800 km of proposed third- and fourth-line works across six sections. These projects are aimed at increasing railway capacity, particularly along the north-south corridor through Keralam.
However, land acquisition remains a major challenge for several railway projects in the state. According to the latest figures, 78 hectares of land have been acquired, while another 540 hectares are required. The Angamali–Sabarimala new railway line is one of the major projects affected by land acquisition. The 111-km project requires around 416 hectares of land, and the pending acquisition has affected its progress.
Decision on Palakkad Railway Division Bifurcation
The transfer of the Mangaluru railway area from Palakkad Division of Southern Railway to Mysuru Division of South Western Railway was one of the key issues discussed during the meeting. Keralam MPs sought reconsideration of the decision, while Shri.Vaishnaw defended the move, citing operational difficulties caused by the earlier division of the Mangaluru railway area.
In a post on X, Shri.Vaishnaw said, “We discussed the operational issues in Mangaluru. The Mangaluru railway area was divided into three different zones, which was creating serious operational problems. The decision to keep Mangaluru in SWR will solve the operational problems.”
Keralam MPs have raised concerns that the Mangaluru region is financially important to Palakkad Division. They fear that its removal could reduce the division’s revenue base and affect its future development.
It is now clear that Palakkad division bifurcation and transfer of Mangaluru to Mysuru division of Southern Western Railway will not be withdrawn.
Read More : Keralam opposes Railway Board’s decision on Mangaluru’s bifurcation from Palakkad division