Bringing Mangaluru Railway Region into SWR further integrates region with the rest of Karnataka: Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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Mangaluru Central will be among the railway stations in Manglaluru railway region that will be added to South Western Railway Zone’s Mysuru Division from October 1, 2026. | Photo Credit: H. S. Manjunath

Welcoming the decision of Union Railways Ministry to bring Mangaluru Railway Region under South Western Railway (SWR) Zone, the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the decision opens up new opportunities and further integrates the region with the rest of Karnataka.

In a statement, KCCI President P.B. Ahmed Mudassar said the Mangaluru region’s railway network has been split across three railway zones for too long. The coordination gaps has resulted in delayed new trains, service upgrades and infrastructure spending. Passenger groups, civic organisations and industry organisations, have flagged this and have been pressing for merger of the region with the SWR for many years. The KCCI was glad that it has now come through.

The decision, Mr. Mudassar said, will enable local businesses to access newer markets, create greater opportunities for local goods, and have a multiplier effect on the regional economy. He thanked MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta for staying on the issue since taking office. In addition to raising the issue in the Parliament, Capt. Chowta has followed it up directly with the Ministry.

Mr. Mudassar also thanked the Union government for taking the decision forward. He said the decision was a real step forward for Coastal Karnataka. “We look forward to working with the new administration on what comes next,” he added.

Karnataka BJP leaders have hailed the decision. In a tweet on X, State BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra said: “Victory has finally been achieved in the decades-long just struggle for Coastal Karnataka.”

“The decision will bring new vitality to the Mangalore Railway, which had been fragmented across three different divisions The narrow-minded political statements by leaders in Kerala, including the Kerala Chief Minister, were condemnable. I hope that Kerala’s leaders will stop questioning the rights of Coastal Kannadigas for their political gain,” he said in a post on X.

Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R. Ashok, said bringing the region under the SWR’s Mysuru Division can help streamline decision-making and give greater focus to Mangaluru’s railway infrastructure and connectivity needs. He appreciated MP Capt. Chowta for consistently pursuing the interests of Mangaluru and coastal Karnataka and keeping the long-pending demand of the coastal region firmly on the agenda.

MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur questioned the absence of celebrations by the State Congress unit and said: “Where is the congratulatory message for Karnataka’s own Mangaluru? When Kerala protests, they speak loudly. When Karnataka wins, Karnataka Congress goes mysteriously silent,” he posted on X.

MPs Tejaswi Surya and P.C. Mohan and the State BJP have also lauded the decision of the Railway Ministry.