Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], September 4 (ANI): Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas of the CPI(M) has written to Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeking a meeting with all MPs from Keralam to discuss a set of issues concerning the bifurcation of the Palakkad Railway Division, which he said carry “far-reaching implications” for the state’s railway infrastructure, connectivity and future growth.
In the letter, Brittas said, “The developments concerning the Division, taken together, have far-reaching implications for the State’s railway infrastructure, connectivity and future growth, and therefore merit your good self’s urgent personal attention.”
Expanding on his concerns, he said, “The proposed transfer of the Mangaluru area from Palakkad Division to Mysuru Division is particularly significant in this context. From approximately 1,247.58 route kilometres at its constitution in 1956, Palakkad Division has later been reduced to about 582.7 route kilometres, including the loss of around 550 kilometres following the creation of Salem Division in 2007,” further claiming that the newly proposed transfer would further remove an area that reportedly accounts for more than 90 per cent of the Division’s freight revenue and over half of its total revenue, with the “potential annual revenue loss estimated at around Rs. 1,000 crore.”
Brittas also flagged what he called the “abandonment” of the Kanjikode Rail Coach Factory, a project he said had been positioned as compensation for the earlier restructuring of Palakkad Division. The foundation stone for the factory was laid in 2012.
“The successive reduction of the Palakkad Division, together with the withdrawal of the Coach Factory project, raises legitimate questions about the future of railway infrastructure and institutional presence in Keralam,” he said.
The letter said that these developments highlight the long-pending demand for a dedicated Railway Zone for Keralam, arguing the state “urgently requires substantial augmentation of railway capacity and services” and that “a comprehensive discussion is necessary to ensure a stronger, more equitable and enduring railway framework for Keralam.”
The Railway Board has decided to transfer the Mangaluru region and its stations from the Palakkad Railway Division to the Mysuru Division under South Western Railway. The change is scheduled to come into effect from October 1.
The decision has triggered protests from political parties and organisations in Keralam.
On August 26, Congress-led United Democratic Front MPs held a sit-in protest in Palakkad opposing the bifurcation. The UDF alleged that the decision was politically motivated.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also criticised the move on Monday, saying it was taken without consultation with the Kerala government or MPs from the state. “This is a particularly unfortunate decision because it was made without any consultation with the Kerala government or Kerala MPs,” Tharoor said.
He claimed that Palakkad division would lose Rs 1,100 crore in revenue following the bifurcation.
Keralam Electricity Minister and KPCC president Sunny Joseph had earlier urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene, calling the decision unjustified.
“Detaching the main route from Palakkad division is an unjustifiable decision. We are agitating against the unilateral decision. We request the Prime Minister to intervene,” Joseph told ANI. (ANI)
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