‘Put it on hold’: Kerala CM seeks Modi’s intervention on Mangaluru railway transfer

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put on hold the Railway Board’s decision to transfer the Mangaluru area, including Ullal, from the Palakkad Division of Southern Railway to the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway from October 1.

In a letter to Modi, Satheesan sought his personal intervention to reconsider the decision after consultations with the Kerala government and other stakeholders.

The chief minister said Kerala recognised the need for administrative and operational efficiency in the functioning of Indian Railways. However, he stressed that any reorganisation of railway jurisdictions should be carried out only after assessing its impact on the regions concerned.

Satheesan warned that the proposed change should not weaken railway infrastructure or affect the developmental prospects of any state or region.

“In these circumstances, I request your personal intervention to keep the proposed transfer of the Mangaluru area from the Palakkad Division of Southern Railway to the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway in abeyance and direct the Ministry of Railways to reconsider the decision after due consultation with the Government of Kerala,” he said.

The Railway Board communicated the decision on August 21, with the transfer scheduled to take effect from October 1.

The move has also triggered political opposition in Kerala, with Malabar MPs announcing plans for protests and a hunger strike at the Palakkad Divisional Railway Office on August 26. They have raised concerns over the impact on the Palakkad Division’s revenue, railway infrastructure and future development in the Malabar region.

The BJP, however, has rejected the allegations as politically motivated, maintaining that the administrative reorganisation will not affect railway development, central funding or passenger services.

(With PTI inputs)