Now Reading: Mangaluru railway region shifts to South Western Railway from October
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Mangaluru railway region shifts to South Western Railway from October
The Railway Board has notified the transfer of Mangaluru region from the Palakkad division of Southern Railway to the Mysuru division of South Western Railway, effective October 1. The change, long demanded…
The Railway Board has notified the transfer of Mangaluru region from the Palakkad division of Southern Railway to the Mysuru division of South Western Railway, effective October 1. The change, long demanded by Karnataka railway users, will shift zonal interchange points from Padil to Ullal and merge stations including Mangaluru Junction, Mangaluru Central, and Ullal into SWR. Thokur will remain with Konkan Railway as an interchange point.
Railway staff in the affected region can choose to stay with Southern Railway or move to SWR, with seniority fixed by length of service in the present grade. Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta welcomed the move as a "great sense of contentment". SWR official Girish Dharmaraj Kalagonda said the change streamlines operations, noting that Palakkad was far and language was an issue. Minister of state for railways V Somanna said the decision will boost railway projects in Karnataka and bring revenue from freight movement at New Mangalore Port to SWR.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The transfer addresses a long-standing Karnataka demand for unified control of its coastal rail network under a state-based zone. Mangaluru Central's limited terminal capacity had been a bottleneck, SWR may prioritise starting long-distance trains to North India and increasing Bengaluru services via Hassan. The revenue shift from freight at New Mangalore Port is significant for SWR's finances. Passengers expect better maintenance and Kannada-language communication. The next signal to watch is SWR's timetable announcement for new services from Mangaluru after October 1.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
