Mangaluru: Karnataka Legislative Council member P.V. Mohan has opposed the decision to place Mangaluru under the Mysuru railway division while welcoming the administrative separation of the coastal city from the Palakkad railway division.
Speaking at a press conference at the Congress Bhavan, Mohan said Mangaluru has been seeking a separate railway division for more than a decade, arguing that the region’s contribution to the Railways and its strategic importance justify the demand.
Mangaluru deserves separate railway division, says Mohan
Mohan said the decision to administratively detach Mangaluru from the Palakkad railway division was welcome, but questioned why the city had not been granted a separate railway division.
According to him, the Mangaluru region contributes approximately ₹1,100 crore annually in railway revenue. He argued that such a contribution, combined with the region’s railway infrastructure and economic importance, strengthens the case for an independent division.
He pointed to the presence of the Konkan Railway, the Mangaluru-Hassan railway link and Mangaluru Port as important factors that, in his view, make Mangaluru strategically significant to the railway network.
“Mangaluru is not opposed to Mysuru or Palakkad. We are fighting for the city’s legitimate right,” Mohan said.
Decade-long demand continues
The Council member said the demand for a separate railway division has been pursued for more than 10 to 15 years through various forms of public agitation.
He recalled that campaigns had included dharnas, rail blockades and hunger strikes, while the demand had also been raised at the national level in Parliament.
Despite these efforts, Mangaluru was not granted a separate division. Mohan said the latest administrative restructuring has once again brought the issue into focus.
The separation from Palakkad is being viewed as an important development by supporters of the long-standing demand. However, Mohan argued that merely shifting administrative control to another division does not address what he described as Mangaluru’s legitimate demand for an independent railway division.
Mysuru decision questioned
Mohan specifically questioned the decision to assign Mangaluru to the Mysuru railway division instead of creating a new division headquartered in the coastal city.
He said Mangaluru should not be viewed merely as an extension of another railway division, given its contribution to railway revenue and its connectivity with important railway networks.
The presence of the Konkan Railway and the Mangaluru-Hassan line, he argued, demonstrates the city’s importance as a railway junction connecting different parts of Karnataka and the wider region.
The city’s port infrastructure was also cited as an important economic factor supporting the demand.
Railway restructuring becomes political issue
The railway division issue could gain further political significance in Karnataka, with Mohan stating that it could become a major electoral issue in the coming days.
He claimed that the Congress, if voted to power, would take steps towards establishing a separate railway division at Mangaluru.
The statement gives the long-standing railway demand a renewed political dimension, particularly in the coastal region where railway connectivity and infrastructure have frequently been subjects of public discussion.
The demand is also closely linked to broader concerns over Mangaluru’s administrative and economic importance within Karnataka.
Congress leaders attend press conference
The press conference was attended by Dakshina Kannada District Congress president K. Harish Kumar and other party leaders.
Among those present were Shubhodaya Alva, Honnaiah, T.K. Sudheer and Nawaz, along with other Congress leaders.
The leaders backed the demand for greater railway importance for Mangaluru and highlighted the need to pursue the issue at the appropriate levels.
The renewed political push comes after the decision to administratively separate Mangaluru from the Palakkad division, which supporters of the city’s railway division demand had long sought.
Separate division remains key demand
The demand for a separate railway division is not a new one for Mangaluru. Over the years, various organisations and political representatives have argued that the coastal city’s railway network, economic activity and revenue contribution warrant independent administrative status.
Supporters believe a separate division could give greater administrative focus to railway infrastructure and development in the coastal region.
Mohan’s latest statement makes it clear that the administrative separation from Palakkad is being welcomed, but is not being treated as the final objective by those seeking an independent division.
For now, the issue is set to remain a subject of political and public debate. With the Congress indicating that it would pursue the demand if it returns to power, the question of whether Mangaluru should have its own railway division could receive increased attention in the coming period.
The latest developments have therefore given fresh momentum to a demand that has been pursued through public campaigns and political forums for more than a decade.