New Delhi: The Railway Board’s decision to detach the lucrative Mangaluru railway network from the Palakkad Railway Division and merge it with the South Western Railway’s (SWR) Mysuru division has triggered sharp political opposition across Kerala. Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor joined United Democratic Front (UDF) parliamentarians to strongly register their protest against the move, warning of severe financial and operational repercussions for the state.
Under the jurisdictional reorganisation order set to take effect from October 1, the Mangaluru railway area up to Ullal—including Ullal station—will be transferred from Southern Railway to South Western Railway, shifting the zonal interchange point from Padil to Ullal.
The development delivers a substantial blow to the Palakkad division’s economic viability. The Mangaluru region, anchored by the Panambur freight terminal and marshalling yard, accounts for over 90% of the division’s freight revenue (roughly ₹650 crore) and contributes more than half of its total annual earnings of around ₹1,650 crore. Railway officials and passenger forums caution that losing this segment alongside key pitline infrastructure will drastically curb Palakkad’s operational capacity to introduce new originating trains or operate seasonal specials.
Expressing strong resentment over the Centre’s decision, Tharoor emphasized that such restructuring systematically diminishes Kerala’s railway footprint. The Palakkad division, established in 1956 as one of independent India’s oldest divisions, previously lost over 550 route kilometres during the controversial carving out of the Salem division in 2007.
UDF leadership noted that previous assurances made to compensate the state—such as the long-delayed Kanjikode coach factory—have been shelved, while the long-standing demand for a dedicated railway zone for Kerala remains unaddressed.
Describing the move as a unilateral step taken without consulting regional stakeholders, UDF lawmakers resolved to escalate the matter directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, demanding a complete rollback of the transfer to protect the division’s operational sustainability.