Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 15 (PTI) The Keralam Assembly on Thursday passed a motion urging the Union government to reconsider its decision to bifurcate the Mangaluru region from the Palakkad Railway Division.
The assembly, while passing the motion moved by Congress MLA Ramesh Pisharody, also demanded restoration of the division to its original status.
During the discussion on the motion, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said that the bifurcation seriously affects the state’s railway development possibilities.
He claimed that the decision was taken by the Railway Ministry without informing the state government or the MPs from Keralam.
The Centre should take steps to address the loss the state will suffer due to this bifurcation.
The discussions also witnessed BJP MLA from Kazhakootam V Muraleedharan contending that since it was an administrative decision, a resolution cannot be passed against it in the Keralam assembly.
In response, Satheesan said that if it were a political decision, the assembly should not pass such a resolution and the issue should have been discussed outside the assembly.
“But when an administrative decision affects Keralam, then the assembly can voice its view,” he said.
Muraleedharan also said that Railway projects worth around Rs 20,000 crore were being implemented in the state.
In his motion, Pisharody, the MLA from Palakkad assembly seat, said that the division generated around Rs 2.75 crore revenue every day and the majority of it comes from the Mangaluru region.
Therefore, the decision to bifurcate Mangaluru and add it to the Mysuru division would adversely impact the Palakkad division’s financial position, affecting the Keralam.
Besides that, it would also affect the staff working in the division, he said.
The Mangaluru railway region officially shifted from the Palakkad Division of Southern Railway to the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway on October 1, 2026
During the discussion in the House on the motion, both UDF and LDF MLAs were of the view that it was a blow to the economic growth of the state as it would cause a loss of around Rs 1,600 crore to Keralam.
They also termed it the latest example of the Centre’s neglect towards the state and an arbitrary decision of the Union government.
Referring to the passing of the motion, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the UDF administration was a “failed government” which was passing “meaningless resolutions” to “distract” the people of Keralam.
“After 150 days, he (Satheesan) has nothing to show – except 4 out 5 guarantees unfulfilled, unprecedented power cuts for which he and CPI(M) keep blaming each other, acute medicine shortage, record joblessness and food prices”.
“So what does a failed government do? Keep passing meaningless resolutions to distract people of Keralam,” he alleged in an X post.
Chandrasekhar said that Satheesan was aware that Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has explained the reorganisation as necessary for the Railways’ operational efficiency.
“The railways’ investments will continue to grow at record levels in Keralam to further Keralam’s development. But still he lies,” he claimed. PTI HMP ADB
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.