Mangaluru to come under SWR’s Mysuru Division from October 1

In a historic second for Karnataka, the Railway Ministry on Friday ordered the switch of the Mangaluru Railway Area to South Western Railway’s (SWR) Mysuru Division from Southern Railway’s (SR) Palakkad Division. Thus, the demand for the Mangaluru area’s inclusion in SWR ever since SWR’s formation in 2003 has been met.

Railway Board Govt Director (Effectivity and Analysis) Dinesh Kumar Vashishtha mentioned the competent authority had determined to switch the Mangaluru space as much as Ullal (inclusive) from the Palakkad Division to the Mysuru Division with impact from October 1.

The Mangaluru Railway Area consists of the Mangaluru Central (in image), Mangaluru Junction, Panambur (New Mangalore Port), and Ullal railway stations.
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H.S. MANJUNATH

The interchange level between SWR and SR will shift from Padil to Ullal, whereas Thokur station will stay part of the Konkan Railway Company Restricted (KRCL) and function the interchange level between KRCL and SWR. The precise divisional boundaries between SR and SWR shall be talked about in a gazette notification.

The Mangaluru space consists of the Mangaluru Central, Mangaluru Junction, Panambur (New Mangalore Port), and Ullal railway stations.

‘Relentless pursuit’

Capt. Brijesh Chowta
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Expressing happiness over the event, Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Capt. Brijesh Chowta mentioned the long-pending demand had been fulfilled because the Mangaluru Railway Area, presently divided amongst SR, SWR, and KRCL, had been introduced below SWR.

Capt. Chowta mentioned the choice gave him an incredible sense of contentment as a result of it was a precedence demand he had raised inside days of taking oath as an MP in June 2024. “Since then, we now have pursued it relentlessly — taking it up repeatedly with Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, whose proactive engagement and responsiveness in taking ahead this long-pending demand I deeply admire.”

“With the formal notification anticipated quickly, we shall be higher positioned to deal with a lot of our railway-related considerations and, most significantly, allow Mangaluru’s rail community to maneuver quicker on the tracks of improvement.”

He additional mentioned he would press for the merger of KRCL with Indian Railways and the doubling of its community. Upgrading the rail line on the ghat stretch and the doubling of the Mangaluru-Bengaluru line would even be his priorities.

Capt. Chowta thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Vaishnaw, and Minister of State for Railways (MoS Railways) V. Somanna.

‘Saved my promise’

V. Somanna
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Mr. Somanna, whose first go to as MoS Railways was to Mangaluru in July 2024, had promised to deal with the long-pending demand. “I’ve stored my promise to you. What extra may be completed,” he instructed The Hindu. “I introduced the heads of the three railway divisions collectively in Mangaluru and tried to deal with the difficulty.”

The Minister mentioned he was grateful to Mr. Modi and Mr. Vaishnaw for addressing the area’s demand.

‘Welcome transfer’

Hanumanth Kamath
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G. Hanumantha Kamath, president of the Pashchima Karavali Railway Yatri Abhivrudhi Samithi, which had been pursuing the inclusion demand, expressed happiness over the Ministry’s choice. For each challenge, individuals of the area needed to journey to Palakkad, a distance of over 350 km, he mentioned, including that bringing Mangaluru below SWR would streamline administration and operations.