Demand to merge Mangalore Railway Region With South Western Railway (SWR): Is it Possible?

Demand to merge Mangalore Railway Region With South Western Railway (SWR): Is it Possible?

December 13: Rail user’s forum in Dakshina Kannada have decided to move ahead with their long pending demand to merge Mangaluru railway region with the Hubballi headquartered South Western Railway (SWR).
The Puttur based Kukke Shree Subrahmanya-Mangalore Rail Commuters’ Forum that has reiterated this demand urged the railway ministry to include the same in the union budget 2020-21.
Sudarshan Puttur, convener of the Forum said Southern Railway through Palakkad division continuing administration of Mangaluru railway region’s 21 km has no tangible benefit for development of railway infrastructure in coastal Karnataka. The forum also demanded that priority be given for doubling the line between Padil and Subrahmanya Road instead of doubling the Ghat section between Subrahmanya Road and Sakleshpur. Farangipete, Kaniyur and Kodimbala stations under SWR should be redeveloped as full-fledged passenger amenity stations due to increased number of people using.
Sudarshan Puttur in his representation suggested that alternatively – the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL), whose term as a corporation has already ended could be merged with the Indian Railways and KRCL’s portions in Goa and Karnataka be brought under SWR with Mangalore as the new divisional headquarters and portions of KRCL in Maharashtra may be merged with Central Railway.