Southern Railway to install double boom barrier at Pandeshwar Level Crossing Gate soon

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Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Rahul Ratnam Pandey (second from right) inspects the Pandeshwar Level Crossing Gate along with MCC and Southern Railway officials on September 1, 2026, in Mangaluru. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

Pending construction of a railway over-bridge at the Pandeshwar Level Crossing gate in Mangaluru , Southern Railway’s Palakkad Division will install a double boom-barrier gate at the LC facilitating four-lane vehicular traffic, thereby easing congestion on the busy Mangaladevi Road.

Tenders for providing the double boom-barrier gate, the required civil works and signal and telecommunication works have been opened. In about a fortnight, the tenders would be finalised and the Railways would execute its part of works at an estimated cost of ₹2 crore, Railway engineers told Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Rahul Ratnam Pandey on Tuesday (September 1, 2026).

The Commissioner was inspecting the LC Gate along with officials from the City Corporation and the Railways. Mr. Pandey and Deputy Commissioner (Development) Naresh P. Shenoy told the Railway engineers that as and when the Railways takes up the widening work, the Corporation would widen the road stretch, about 200 metre on both the sides of the LC Gate, into four lanes. They told the Railway engineers to hasten the process of awarding the tenders.

Railway engineers told The Hindu that the tenders could be finalised in a fortnight or so. Thereafter, it would take about six months to complete installing the double boom-barrier gate and upgrading the signalling system. The work would be undertaken on priority, they said.

Meanwhile, with regard to the proposed RoB , the Railways was prepared for a two-lane over bridge. However, the City Corporation wanted a four-lane one considering the traffic flow. Hence, it has sought detailed design and drawings from the Corporation. The process might take time, engineers added.

Following frequent closure of the LC gate to facilitate movement of trains for stabling at the Bunder Yard, road users had been facing severe hardship. Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyasa Kamath and Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta had taken up the issue with the State government and the Railways.

In March, Capt. Chowta had announced SR’s decision to widen the LC gate to facilitate four-lane traffic thereby reducing the congestion whenever the Gates open for vehicular movement.

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