Palakkad Railway Division Split to Take Effect From Midnight Today

Palakkad: Despite widespread protests, major sections of the Palakkad Railway Division will be merged with the Mysuru Division from midnight today. Stations including Mangaluru will become part of the Mysuru Division. The sections from Ullal to Mangaluru and Panambur are among those being transferred.

The Centre issued a notification on August 21 regarding the reorganisation. Despite protests across Keralam against the move to effectively dismantle the Palakkad Division, the procedures were completed on a fast track.

With Mangaluru becoming part of the Mysuru Division, the Palakkad Division will lose its largest source of revenue. Around 90 per cent of the division's freight movement originates from Mangaluru. The Mangaluru section generates around Rs 2.75 crore in daily revenue. Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction, both A1-status stations in terms of ticket revenue, will also become part of the Mysuru Division.

Freight from major establishments including New Mangaluru Port, Mangaluru Chemicals and Fertilizers and Udupi Refinery is handled through Mangaluru station. The Panambur goods yard handles large-scale loading and unloading of ores, fertilisers and other chemicals.

The Mangaluru coaching depot, where trains arriving from areas including Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram undergo major inspections and maintenance, will also come under the Mysuru Division. According to the order, Thokur and Padil, which serve as interchange points for trains from the Palakkad Division to Konkan Railway and South Western Railway, will also come under the Mysuru Division.

Ullal will be the point where trains are handed over from the Palakkad Division to the Mysuru Division. This will also sever the Palakkad Division's connection with Konkan Railway.

The Centre had earlier carved out the Salem Division by splitting the Palakkad Division. The move was followed by the denial of approval for a coach factory at Kanjikode. The division is now being further split. Concerns have also been raised that the Centre's move was taken without considering even the distance between the Mysuru Division headquarters and the Mangaluru region.

When Mangaluru was part of the Palakkad Division, it was treated as a major railway line. There are concerns that the Mangaluru region could lose importance after its merger with the Mysuru Division.

The decision to split the railway division has been criticised as lacking any valid basis. The criticism is that the move was driven by the BJP's political agenda and that it offers no benefit to the Railways.

Once the order comes into effect, 115.454 km of railway track and several major railway assets will come under the Mysuru Division. The assets being transferred include 168 bridges — 17 major bridges, 137 minor bridges and two important bridges — as well as 12 pedestrian and road overbridges.

The transfer also covers 50 switch expansion joint sections, 26 long continuous track sections, 161 track alteration systems and crossings, 92 curves, five level crossings and two tunnels.

Works worth Rs 28.5 crore under construction projects currently being implemented by the Palakkad Division, along with works worth more than Rs 50 crore including other existing contracts, will also come under the transfer.