Mangaluru To Be Part Of South Western Railway From Oct 1

The change will take effect from October 1, 2026, according to a Railway Board communication issued on Friday to the General Managers of Southern Railway and South Western Railway and the Chairman and Managing Director of Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd.

Mangaluru MP Brijesh Chowta welcomed the decision, saying the demand was among the priorities he had taken up within days of taking oath as an MP in June 2024.

“Mangaluru’s railways are finally coming under one roof! A long-pending demand is being fulfilled as the Mangaluru railway region, currently divided across Southern and South Western Railways, is being brought under South Western Railway’s Mysuru Division,” Brijesh Chowta said in a message on X.

He added that he had pursued the demand repeatedly with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and used parliamentary and other institutional forums to press for its early resolution.

“This is a significant step for Mangaluru - reducing jurisdictional hurdles, improving coordination, enabling faster resolution of passenger concerns and giving greater focus to railway infrastructure and connectivity across coastal Karnataka,” he said.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways V Somanna for taking the decision forward. The formal notification is expected soon.
“We will be better placed to address many of our railway-related concerns and, most importantly, enable Mangaluru’s railways to move faster on the tracks of Vikas,” he added.

According to the Railway Board's communication, the Mangaluru area up to and including Ullal will be transferred from the Palakkad division of Southern Railway to the Mysuru division of South Western Railway. Consequently, the interchange points between SWR and SR will shift from Padil to Ullal.

The Board has, however, clarified that Thokur railway station will continue to remain under Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) and will serve as the interchange point between KRCL and SWR.
The Board has also directed the railways to begin preparatory measures for the change, including the transfer of posts, seeking options from staff and transferring control boards.

Paschima Karavali Railway Yatri Abhivrudhi Samiti president G Hanumanth Kamath welcomed the move.

“This had to be done long back. It was a longstanding demand which has now been fulfilled,” Kamath told Deccan Chronicle.

“Till now, even for small issues, we had to depend on the Palakkad Division of Southern Railway. Though Mangaluru generated substantial revenue for the division, development here remained limited, and it was difficult for us to make our demands heard.

Now, with Mangaluru coming under Mysuru Division of South Western Railway, the revenue generated here will remain within our own railway zone, and we will be in a better position to put forward our demands and suggestions,” he added.

Meanwhile Dakshina Kannada district railway users posted on X defining the decision as a Historical moment for Coastal Karnataka.

“Mangaluru railway area to be brought under South Western Railway effective from 01.10.2026 Thank you Capt Brijesh Chowta Sir,” it added.