Thiruvananthapuram: A fresh railway dispute is brewing between Kerala and Karnataka after the Railway Board decided to move the Mangaluru region out of the Palakkad division of Southern Railway and bring it under the Mysuru division of South Western Railway from October 1, 2026.
The decision has upset political leaders in Kerala, who fear that the state could lose a major source of railway revenue. In Karnataka, however, the move is being seen as a long pending step that could bring better coordination and development to the Mangaluru region.
The change means the railway boundary between Palakkad and Mysuru divisions will move from Padil to Ullal. Mangaluru and the railway areas up to Ullal will come under Mysuru division. Thokur will remain with Konkan Railway and will become its interchange point with South Western Railway.
The financial impact is at the centre of Kerala’s concerns. The Mangaluru region contributes more than 90% of Palakkad division’s freight revenue, with freight earnings estimated at around rs 650 crore. More than half of Palakkad division’s total revenue, which is around rs 1,650 crore, comes from this region.
Much of that business is linked to the freight facilities around Panambur and New Mangalore Port. Kerala leaders fear that losing such a large revenue generating area could make it harder for Palakkad division to push for new railway projects, infrastructure improvements and additional services.
The political reaction in Kerala has been strong. Chief Minister V D Satheesan has criticised the decision as unilateral and said Kerala was not properly consulted before the change. He has indicated that the state will take up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Several Kerala MPs, including M K Raghavan, Rajmohan Unnithan, K Radhakrishnan and V K Sreekantan, have also opposed the decision. UDF MPs have announced protests and demanded that the order be reconsidered.
Karnataka’s argument is quite different. Supporters of the move say Mangaluru’s railway administration has been divided among different zones for years. They believe bringing the region under South Western Railway could make planning and coordination easier and give coastal Karnataka greater attention.
For now, the change is mainly about railway administration and jurisdiction. There is no announcement that passenger trains serving Kerala will stop because of the decision.
But the issue is clearly bigger than a change of boundaries. For Kerala, it is about protecting Palakkad’s financial strength. For Karnataka, it is about getting greater control and focus for Mangaluru’s railway development.
ALSO READ: Why Indian Railways Is Expanding Vande Bharat: Premium Travel Drives Profits