Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw held a meeting with MPs from Kerala on September 21 to discuss the upcoming administrative change involving the Mangaluru railway area and railway development in Kerala.
From October 1, the Mangaluru area is scheduled to become part of the Mysuru Division under South Western Railway. The area was earlier managed by the Palakkad Division of Southern Railway.
Single Railway Zone for Mangaluru
Vaishnaw said the change is being made to improve railway operations. The Mangaluru area currently involves three railway systems — Southern Railway, South Western Railway and Konkan Railway Corporation.
This means some trains passing through the region have to move across different operational jurisdictions before reaching Mangaluru. According to the Railway Ministry, this can create challenges in train management and cause avoidable delays.
Bringing the area under South Western Railway is expected to create a single operational jurisdiction and make train movement and management easier.
Kerala Railway Projects Discussed
The minister also discussed railway development in Kerala with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan. The discussions included ongoing infrastructure projects and the future development of the state’s railway network.
According to the minister, railway investment in Kerala has increased significantly over the past decade. Several track expansion projects, flyovers, underpasses, electrification works and station redevelopment projects have been completed.
More Projects Underway
The Railway Ministry said projects worth more than ₹20,000 crore are currently being implemented in Kerala. These include new railway lines, multitracking works, flyovers, underpasses and station redevelopment projects.
The ministry said the restructuring of the Mangaluru railway area is being carried out primarily with the aim of improving operational efficiency and creating smoother train services.
