Railway bifurcation protest in Keralam

Notes

• The Railway Board has decided to detach the Mangaluru region from the Palakkad division and merge it with the South Western Railway’s Mysuru division, effective October 1.
• The Ullal-Mangaluru section is currently under the jurisdiction of the Southern Railway.
• State authorities argue that the bifurcation was conducted without prior consultation with the state government.
• Concerns raised include potential loss of revenue for the Southern Railway and negative impacts on the development of rail infrastructure in the region.
• Passenger associations have expressed concerns regarding the potential closure of low-income stations and the disruption of train services between Mangaluru and Keralam.
• Rail patrons in coastal Karnataka argue that a significant portion of the Palakkad division's annual revenue, approximately ₹800 crore, is generated by the Mangaluru region, particularly the New Mangalore Port.
• The Ministry of State for Railways has characterized the administrative change as a historic decision.