Railway’s assault on Kerala’s interests 

Amid the growing demand for a separate railway zone for Kerala, the Railway Board's unilateral decision to carve up the Palakkad Railway Division has come as a blow to the State. This is a decision that will undermine Kerala's overall railway development, particularly that of the Malabar region.

The decision entails detaching the Mangaluru region under the Southern Railway and transferring it to the Mysuru Division. The order states that the change will come into effect on October 1. Accordingly, the area from Mangaluru to Ullal will be shifted from the Palakkad Division to the Mysuru Division. With this, the interchange point between the South Western Railway and the Southern Railway will move to Ullal. At the same time, Thokur railway station will continue to remain under the Konkan Railway Corporation.

Freight transport and commercial revenues within the Mangaluru Port limits, which constitute one of the primary sources of revenue for the Palakkad Division, will now go to the Mysuru Division. This will cause a major financial loss to Kerala, with the revenue loss estimated at approximately ₹1,100 crore.

Important official positions in the Southern Railway are held primarily by officials from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. For some time now, decisions that repeatedly hinder Kerala's railway needs and development have been taken by officials from these States. At the same time, Kerala generates the highest revenue for Indian Railways through ticket sales, parcel services and freight transport. With the loss of the Mangaluru region, the geographical importance of Palakkad, one of the oldest divisions in South India, as well as the number of railway tracks under its control, will decrease significantly. The loss of key depot facilities centred in Mangaluru will also impede the introduction of new train services from the Malabar region and the extension of existing services.

Representatives from Karnataka had begun lobbying long ago for the separation of Mangaluru from the Palakkad Division. The Railways had initially rejected the proposal, however, on the grounds that it would create a financial burden. The Railway Board has now approved the move without informing Kerala's MPs or the State Government. A majority of MPs from Kerala allege that the Union Ministry of Railways has carried out this division to appease BJP lobbies in Karnataka.

This bifurcation also effectively draws the curtain permanently on Kerala's long-standing demand for a separate railway zone of its own. The move must be viewed as an attempt to reduce Kerala's railway divisions.
Kerala must raise a strong, united protest across party lines against this unfair order of the Ministry of Railways and seek its withdrawal. An all-party delegation led by the Chief Minister should meet the Prime Minister, register an official protest and make every effort to have this ill-advised order withdrawn.