Palakkad railway division bifurcation: Satheesan cites ₹650 cr freight revenue, urges PM to reconsider Mangaluru transfer

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the Railway Board’s decision to transfer areas including Mangaluru from the Palakkad Division of Southern Railway to the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway. In a letter to the PM, Satheesan said the Railway Board had taken a decision with significant and long-term implications for Kerala’s railway infrastructure and development prospects without consulting the state government.

The jurisdictional change, communicated by the Railway Board on August 21, will come into effect on October 1, 2026.

Satheesan said the financial implications of the proposed reorganisation were particularly serious. According to him, the Mangaluru area accounts for more than 90% of the Palakkad Division’s freight revenue, estimated at around ₹650 crore, and contributes more than 50% of its total revenue of approximately ₹1,650 crore.

He pointed out that Mangaluru has been an integral part of the Palakkad Division for decades and that the proposed transfer would include not only Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction but also railway infrastructure linked to the Mangaluru port region, including Panambur, which handles substantial freight and container traffic.

“The Panambur freight and marshalling facilities constitute a major component of this revenue base. Removing such a substantial revenue-generating territory will inevitably diminish the operational and financial strength of the Palakkad Division,” Satheesan said.

He expressed concern that weakening the division could, in the long term, affect the allocation of resources, sanctioning of infrastructure projects, introduction of new train services and passenger amenities in the Malabar region.

“Northern Kerala already requires substantial augmentation of railway capacity and services, and any administrative restructuring that reduces the importance and viability of the Division responsible for this region would be detrimental to the State’s developmental interests,” he said.

Satheesan also recalled that the Palakkad Division had already lost a substantial part of its jurisdiction, including the Coimbatore region, following the formation of the Salem Railway Division in 2007. The proposed transfer would further reduce its territorial jurisdiction, operational importance and revenue base, he said.

The Chief Minister said railway administrative boundaries should not be treated merely as internal arrangements, as they have a direct bearing on regional connectivity, infrastructure investment, freight movement, passenger services and economic development.

While acknowledging the need for administrative and operational efficiency in the Railways, Satheesan said any jurisdictional reorganisation should be undertaken after assessing its impact on all regions concerned and ensuring that it does not weaken railway infrastructure or development prospects.

He sought the Prime Minister’s intervention to keep the proposed transfer of the Mangaluru area in abeyance and direct the Ministry of Railways to reconsider the decision after consulting the Kerala government.

Satheesan also urged the Centre to retain the existing jurisdiction of the Palakkad Division and instead strengthen it with adequate infrastructure, investment and additional railway services to meet the growing transportation needs of northern Kerala.