NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Keralam (formerly known as Kerela) opposed the Railway Board’s decision to transfer the Mangaluru railway area, including Ullal to move out of the Palakkad Division of Southern Railway and come under the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway (SWR). The Jurisdiction change will come into effect on 1 October 2026.

The political leaders in Keralam including the opposition leader Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, Congress MP Shri Shashi Tharoor and many already expressed their concerns. MPs in Keralam even planned a hunger strike on Onam (Thiruvonam) day, Wednesday 26 August 2026, one of the major cultural festivals of Keralam.

Even the Chief Minister of Keralam Shri. V.D. Satheesan sent a detailed letter to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, to seek his urgent personal intervention to freeze and reconsider the Railway Board’s decision. He also mentioned that the decision was taken without any prior consultation with the Government of Keralam .

Why is Keralam opposing the decision?

Mangaluru is currently a major part of Palakkad Division’s railway operations and revenue, particularly because of freight traffic connected with New Mangaluru Port. Removing this area will significantly reduce Palakkad Division’s revenue and weaken its financial position. The Mangaluru region generates over 90% of the Palakkad Division’s freight revenue, approximately ₹650 crore, and contributes more than 50% of its overall revenue of around ₹1,650 crore.

The change will not only affect it will further affect loss of operational facilities associated with the Mangaluru area in Keralam. Weakening Palakkad Division will inevitably hurt future resource allocation, project sanctions, capacity expansion, and new train services for the Malabar region, northern part of Keralam.

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the state government have maintained complete silence on this issue, despite opposition MLA asking to break the silence.

Why is the Railway making this change?

South Western Railway says the decision is intended to improve operational efficiency.. Mangaluru is more closely linked to Mysuru through the Hassan–Mangaluru route, which already falls under SWR. Bringing the entire Mangaluru area under one division is expected to make train operations, freight handling, coordination and infrastructure planning smoother.

Keralam is not losing any stations as Manguluru city is in Karnataka. And according to authorities Keralam does not lose anything with Manguluru’s bifurcation.

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