Kerala MPs Oppose Mangaluru Railway division Shift, Announce Satyagraha at Palakkad

Kerala MPs Oppose Mangaluru Railway division Shift, Announce Satyagraha at Palakkad

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 24, 2026: The Railway Board’s decision to shift the Mangaluru railway area from Palakkad division of Southern Railway to Mysuru division of South Western Railway has triggered a fresh political confrontation between Kerala and Karnataka.

Kerala’s UDF MPs M.K. Raghavan, E.T. Mohammed Basheer and Shafi Parambil have announced a satyagraha outside the Palakkad Divisional Railway Manager’s office on Wednesday, opposing the August 21 order.

The MPs demanded that the order be kept in abeyance until consultations are held with the Kerala government and the state’s MPs. They claimed the move could result in an annual revenue loss of around ₹1,000-1,100 crore to Kerala’s Palakkad division.

Under the Railway Board order, the Mangaluru area up to and including Ullal will be transferred to the Mysuru division from October 1. The interchange between Southern Railway and South Western Railway will shift from Padil to Ullal. Thokur will remain with Konkan Railway and become the interchange point between Konkan Railway and South Western Railway.

Kerala Seeks Review

UDF MPs held an online meeting and decided to jointly oppose the move. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor termed the decision shocking and said it was taken without consulting the Kerala government or MPs.

He said the MPs would seek suspension of the order until a detailed discussion is held. A joint letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is also being prepared.

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has described the decision as unilateral and unacceptable, arguing that the exclusion of Mangaluru Junction would significantly reduce the revenue and development potential of the Palakkad division.

Karnataka Welcomes Decision

In Karnataka, the decision has been welcomed by political leaders and business representatives who have long demanded that the Mangaluru railway network be brought under a single division.

Mangaluru MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta welcomed the Railway Board order, saying it would bring the region’s railway network under one division and help improve development.

Business leader and former Infosys CFO T.V. Mohandas Pai also urged the Karnataka government to strongly defend the state’s interests.

Coastal Karnataka has for years argued that the Mangaluru railway region has been divided among Southern Railway, South Western Railway and Konkan Railway, affecting infrastructure development despite the region generating substantial passenger and freight revenue.

Revenue at Centre of Dispute

Around 90% of the Palakkad division’s freight movement reportedly originates from the Mangaluru region. The Panambur goods yard serving New Mangalore Port handled freight worth around ₹625 crore during the last financial year.

Kerala fears that the transfer could significantly reduce the Palakkad division’s revenue and affect future fund allocations, new train sanctions and infrastructure projects.

The division will, from October 1, extend only up to Ullal, around 35 km from Kasaragod across the Netravati river.

Kerala BJP Calls Opposition Political

BJP leader and former Kerala state president P.K. Krishnadas dismissed the opposition to the Railway Board decision as politically motivated.

He said the transfer would not adversely affect passengers and argued that the reorganisation would benefit railway administration and development.

The Railway Board has said the restructuring follows representations from elected representatives and aims to bring Karnataka’s railway network in the region under a single division. However, Karnataka’s long-standing demand for a separate Mangaluru railway division or zone has not been accepted.