'Around 60% Of Revenue Loss': How Railway's Plan To Separate Mangaluru Region From Palakkad Impacts Kerala
Kerala: The Indian Railway Board has decided to merge the Mangaluru railway region with the South Western Railway’s Mysuru division with effect from October 1. The decision has triggered major political and social confrontation in Kerala, with Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan, Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, among others, demanding the withdrawal of the decision.
In a social media post, Chief Minister VD Satheesan called the move a unilateral decision by the Railway Board. Asserting that it is unacceptable, the chief minister said the decision would heavily impact the revenue and development of Southern Railway and Kerala. “We will take this up urgently with the Prime Minister and Railway Minister,” the chief minister added in an X post.
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Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan alleged the Railways and the Central government have been exhibiting discrimination against Kerala, stating that the decision would result in significant revenue loss for the Palakkad division.
Alleging that it would erode around 60% revenue of the division, the CPI(M) leader demanded that the state government and the MPs strongly intervene in the matter.
“The Palakkad Division will experience a significant drop in revenue with the loss of the major port city of Mangaluru. Goods movement worth Rs 625 crore which took place via the Panambur Goods Yard during the last financial year will be a total loss,” the former chief minister pointed out.
“Once the trains currently departing from Mangaluru — including those bound for Thiruvananthapuram — become part of the Mysuru Division, the Palakkad Division will be left without a single train of its own,” he noted.
The Left leader further alleged in a social media post on Facebook that a move is underway to restrict Kerala to just the Thiruvananthapuram Division.
