Mangaluru: Mangaluru’s railway network is set for a major administrative change, with the Railway Board deciding to bring the city’s railway area under the Mysuru division of South Western Railway (SWR) from October 1.

The move will end Mangaluru’s long-standing association with the Palakkad division of Southern Railway (SR) and is expected to have implications for train operations, infrastructure planning and the handling of passenger-related issues in the coastal region.

According to the Railway Board’s jurisdictional reorganisation order issued on Friday, the Mangaluru area up to Ullal, including Ullal railway station, will be transferred from Southern Railway to the Mysuru division of SWR.

As a result, the SWR-SR interchange point will shift from Padil to Ullal.

However, Thokur railway station will remain under Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) and will continue to function as the interchange point between KRCL and SWR. The existing boundaries between KRCL and Southern Railway will accordingly become the boundaries between KRCL and South Western Railway.

The final divisional and zonal boundaries between Southern Railway and South Western Railway will be formally notified through the Railway Gazette.

What happens to railway staff?

The restructuring will also involve the transfer of railway personnel attached to the affected area.

Gazetted employees will move along with their sanctioned posts, while the transfer of Group-B officers will be governed by existing rules.

For non-gazetted employees, the Railway Board has provided an “as is where is” arrangement. Such employees will have the option of either remaining with Southern Railway or moving to South Western Railway.

Those opting for SWR will be transferred on administrative grounds, with their seniority determined according to their service in the present grade.

What could change for Mangaluru?

While the Railway Board’s order primarily concerns administrative jurisdiction, railway users and passenger organisations expect the change to have wider implications for Mangaluru’s rail connectivity.

More scope for long-distance trains

Passenger organisations have for years demanded more long-distance trains originating from Mangaluru Central, particularly to northern and western Indian cities such as Delhi, Ajmer and Ahmedabad.

With Mangaluru coming under the Mysuru division, passenger groups hope train proposals involving the coastal city will receive greater attention within the SWR system.

Greater focus on Mangaluru-Bengaluru connectivity

The direct rail route connecting Mangaluru with Bengaluru through Hassan is another major area where passenger groups expect improvements.

Additional trains, special services and faster connectivity between the coastal region and Bengaluru have been longstanding demands. The restructuring could make coordination for such services easier within a single railway zone.

Mangaluru Central could gain importance

The jurisdictional change could also increase the importance of Mangaluru Central in SWR’s planning of train operations and infrastructure.

Passenger groups have repeatedly demanded additional platforms, yard improvements and other capacity-enhancing works at the station. They argue that the existing limitations have restricted the introduction of additional originating services from Mangaluru Central.

Easier coordination on infrastructure projects

At present, railway-related issues in and around Mangaluru have involved coordination across different administrative jurisdictions.

With the Mangaluru area moving into the Mysuru division of SWR, local railway projects, operational issues and passenger amenities will increasingly be handled within the SWR administrative framework.

Railway users hope this will make decision-making and coordination on infrastructure projects more streamlined.

Passenger groups welcome decision

Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta welcomed the Railway Board’s decision, describing it as the fulfilment of a long-standing demand.

In a post on X, Chowta said the development brought him a “great sense of contentment” and recalled that he had taken up the demand as a priority within days of being sworn in as MP in June 2024.

The decision has also triggered celebrations among railway users and passenger groups across coastal Karnataka.

Anil Hegde, secretary of the Paschima Karavali Railway Yathri Abivriddhi Samithi, said the restructuring fulfilled a long-pending demand and congratulated Chowta for his efforts.

“We hope the existing anomalies will be settled after the restructuring,” he said.

Hanumanth Kamath, president of the organisation, alleged that Mangaluru had suffered “stepmotherly treatment” under Southern Railway, particularly with some trains that passenger groups wanted to originate at Mangaluru Central instead being operated from Mangaluru Junction.

“This was a great injustice to us. With the new rejig, this will no longer be a hurdle,” he said.

Demand to review Kerala-bound trains

Passenger organisations are also hoping the restructuring will lead to a review of how terminal capacity in Mangaluru is utilised.

They have alleged that a significant portion of the limited terminal capacity has been used for trains primarily serving Kerala.

They want Kerala-only services to be considered for operation from Ullal or Manjeshwar, where feasible, potentially freeing capacity at Mangaluru Central for additional services to destinations elsewhere in Karnataka and across India.

However, the extent to which the administrative reorganisation will translate into new trains, altered originating points or infrastructure projects will depend on subsequent decisions by the Railway Board and South Western Railway.

The October 1 change therefore marks a significant administrative shift for Mangaluru, but its larger impact on the region’s railway connectivity will become clearer as SWR begins planning and implementing services under the new jurisdiction.