Mangaluru South Western Railway: The Ministry of Railways is set to change Mangaluru’s rail setup by bringing the entire area under the South Western Railway (SWR) zone. Currently, the Mangaluru area is served by Southern Railway, South Western Railway and Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL).

During a meeting with MPs from Kerala on Monday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw discussed the operational issues affecting the Mangaluru railway area. He said Mangaluru was divided among three different railway jurisdictions, which was creating serious operational difficulties.

According to Vaishnaw, the decision to bring the entire Mangaluru area under South Western Railway (SWR) will help resolve these operational issues and improve train operations.

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According to the national transporter, a train arriving in Mangaluru from the Goa side or the Hassan side may have to pass through different operational areas and interchange points before reaching the station. This can lead to delays, congestion and difficulties in coordinating train operations.

Thus, to address these issues, the Railways is rationalising the Mangaluru railway area and bringing it under a single railway zone – South Western Railway.

“A clear, unified operational boundary for the entire Mangaluru area by transferring the entire Mangaluru area to Mysore Division of South Western Railway will eliminate interchange conflicts between zones, enabling smoother and more efficient operations,” the Ministry of Railways said.

The move is being described as an operational rationalisation aimed at improving efficiency rather than a change made for administrative reasons.

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Railway projects in Kerala

The Railway Minister also highlighted the progress made in Kerala’s railway infrastructure. He said that Kerala has achieved 100 per cent railway electrification.

Vaishnaw added that 35 railway stations in Kerala are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS). He further said that more than 180 train stoppages have been provided in Kerala over the last five years.

According to the Railway Minister, 22 new train services have also been introduced in Kerala in the last two years.