Keralam to seek Centre's intervention over shifting Mangaluru from Palakkad division

Thiruvananthapuram: Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Saturday termed the Railway Board's decision to shift Mangaluru from the Palakkad division to the Mysuru division "unilateral" and said the state would approach the Centre to seek its immediate reconsideration.

Satheesan, in a statement, said the decision was taken without informing the state government or holding any discussion with it and asserted that seeking its reconsideration was Keralam's "united demand".

Excluding the strategically important Mangaluru Junction would substantially reduce the revenue of the Palakkad division and adversely affect its development, he said, describing the Railway Ministry's decision as highly objectionable.


He said the merger of the area from Ullal to Mangaluru, currently under Southern Railway, with South Western Railway would cause a major loss to both Southern Railway and Kerala.

"We will approach the Centre seeking an urgent solution to the issue. Letters will be sent to the Prime Minister and the Union Railway Minister. With the cooperation of the state's MPs, pressure will be exerted on the Centre to reconsider the decision," Satheesan said.

Senior Congress leader and Kasaragod MP Rajmohan Unnithan also criticised the move, calling it another example of the Railways' alleged neglect of Keralam, particularly the Malabar region.

In a Facebook post, Unnithan said the decision reflected a continuing "stepmotherly attitude" towards Kerala and asserted that it would not be accepted under any circumstances.

He said the order indicated that more details, including the exact new boundaries, would be available through a gazette notification.

Unnithan also expressed concern that if the Mangaluru region, including the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA), which he described as the lifeline of the Palakkad division, was lost, the division could eventually face a merger with either the Salem or Thiruvananthapuram division on the ground that it was no longer operationally profitable.

He demanded that the Railway authorities immediately withdraw the decision and said he has written to the Railway Minister and other senior Railway officials seeking intervention.

Congress leader and Palakkad MP V K Sreekandan alleged that the division was being split without informing Kerala's MPs or the state government.

He alleged that the Centre was attempting to weaken and eventually eliminate the Palakkad division by reducing its revenue and funding, and said strong protests would be raised both inside and outside Parliament.

Sreekandan said the Railway decision was taken "overnight" without consulting the state government or elected representatives.

"Palakkad is one of the highest-revenue divisions in South India. The decision to divide it was taken without explaining the reason or consulting anyone," he said, adding that strong protests would be organised against the move.

The shifting of Mangaluru, he said, would mean that Palakkad would no longer have long-distance trains, while the resulting loss of revenue would seriously affect the division as well as railway development in Keralam.