Mangaluru: In a major development for coastal Karnataka’s railway network, the Mangaluru railway area will move from the Palakkad division of Southern Railway to the Mysuru division of South Western Railway (SWR) from October 1, following a Railway Board decision.
The long-pending jurisdictional change is expected to bring Mangaluru’s railway administration closer to Karnataka’s railway network and streamline operations in the region.
Mangaluru stations to come under Mysuru division
Under the revised arrangement, the railway area extending up to Ullal, including Ullal station, will be brought under the Mysuru division of SWR. The interchange point between Southern Railway and SWR will consequently shift from Padil to Ullal.
The transfer will cover key railway locations including Panambur, Jokatte, Kulashekara, Padil, Mangaluru Junction, Mangaluru Central, Bundar, Netravati and Ullal. Thokur, however, will continue under Konkan Railway and will remain the interchange point between Konkan Railway and SWR.
Move expected to improve coordination
The change has been welcomed by railway users and Karnataka representatives after years of demand for Mangaluru to be brought under a Karnataka-based railway division.
The new arrangement is expected to simplify administrative coordination and help improve attention to the region’s railway infrastructure, passenger services and future expansion.
Railway staff affected by the jurisdictional change will also be given options regarding their service arrangements, with procedures for manpower transfer laid down as part of the reorganisation.
A significant change for coastal Karnataka
Mangaluru has long been strategically important for passenger and freight movement, with its railway network connecting coastal Karnataka to Kerala, Bengaluru and other parts of the country.
The shift to the Mysuru division is therefore being viewed as an important administrative change that could strengthen the integration of Mangaluru with Karnataka’s wider railway network.