Political parties cutting across party lines oppose the Railway Board’s decision to bifurcate the Mangaluru region from the Palakkad division.

The decision, which will take effect from October 1, is expected to significantly undermine the operational and financial importance of the Palakkad division.

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S.Gopakumar

Political parties cutting across party lines have opposed the Railway Board’s decision to bifurcate the Mangaluru region from the Palakkad division and merge it with the Mysuru division of the South Western Railway.The decision, which will take effect from October 1, is expected to significantly undermine the operational and financial importance of the Palakkad division.Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said the State government would take up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing the Railway Board’s decision as unilateral and unacceptable. He said the move would severely affect the revenue and development prospects of the Southern Railway and Keralam.In a statement, the Chief Minister’s Office said the merger of the Ullal-Mangaluru sector, currently under the Southern Railway, with the South Western Railway would cause substantial revenue losses to both the Southern Railway and the State. The decision was taken without informing the State government, it said.Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan said the bifurcation could reduce the Palakkad division’s revenue by up to 60 per cent. He urged the State government and MPs from Kerala to exert immediate pressure on the Union government to review the decision.Goods worth around ₹625 crore were handled through the Panambur Goods Yard in the previous financial year, and the Palakkad division would lose this revenue following the transfer, Mr. Vijayan said. Trains originating from Mangaluru, including services to Thiruvananthapuram, would also come under the Mysuru division. This could leave the Palakkad division without a single train originating from within its jurisdiction, he added.Rail passenger association Friends on Rail termed the bifurcation a major setback to Kerala’s railway development aspirations. It said the Railway Ministry had taken the decision without considering Kerala’s long-standing demand for a separate railway zone.The association pointed out that the formation of the Salem division had already significantly reduced the geographical extent of the Palakkad division. The latest move to transfer additional areas to the Mysuru division would further hamper Kerala’s operational and development prospects, it said.The move could also eventually lead to the closure of several low-income stations and adversely affect train services between Mangaluru and Kerala, Friends on Rail said.Published on August 23, 2026