Keralam MPs unite against move to shift Mangaluru from Palakkad Railway Division
Members of Parliament from Kerala are protesting the Railway Board's decision to move the Mangaluru region from the Palakkad Railway Division to the Mysuru Division. They argue the move will cause significant financial loss to the Palakkad division and hinder regional railway development.
Why it matters
Highlights regional political opposition to infrastructure administrative changes that impact local economic and transport development.
The Railway Board’s decision to bifurcate the Mangaluru region from Palakkad Railway Division and bring it under Mysuru Division of South Western Railway has triggered protests across Keralam, with MPs cutting across political lines demanding that the move be withdrawn.
E.T. Mohammed Basheer, MP, described the decision as despicable and warned of far-reaching consequences for railway development in Keralam, particularly Malabar. In a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, he sought immediate reconsideration of the decision and retention of the status quo. He also urged the State government to intervene.
M.K. Raghavan, MP, called the order unjust and a major blow to Malabar’s railway development. He pointed out that freight from Mangaluru port and revenue from Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction are important sources of income for Palakkad division. Their loss, he said, would weaken the division financially and affect new train services and development projects.
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