As if this was not enough, the Railway Ministry has also decided not to set up a coach factory at Kanjikkode in Palakkad district – a promise first made by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The move to bifurcate the Palakkad division, which will come into effect from October 1, will administer a crippling blow to its operational and financial importance.
A redeeming feature of the serious situation is that, for once, all the parties cutting across the political spectrum are united in their condemnation of the mover to humiliate Kerala.

Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan has taken the lead by telling the Railway Ministry that its ‘unilateral decision’ is unacceptable. In a post on X, the Chief Minister said it would severely impact the revenue and development of Southern Railway and Keralam. The issue will be taken up with the Prime Minister and the Railway Minister, he added. The merger of the Ullal-Mangaluru section, currently under the Southern Railway, with the South Western Railway will cause substantial loss to both Southern Railway and Keralam. The CM’s statement also took strong exception to the fact that the decision was taken without informing the State Government.

For once, sinking the differences, Keralam has demanded that the decision be reconsidered. “We will approach the Centre seeking a solution and write to the Prime Minister and the Railway Minister. With the support of the MPs from the State, we will exert pressure on the Centre to reconsider the decision,” the statement averred.

On his part, the Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan has termed the decision as grave injustice to Keralam. Characterising the move as severe neglect, Pinarayi said in a strongly-worded statement that the bifurcation would reduce the Palakkad division’s revenue by up to 60 per cent. The State Government and MPs from the State should exert immediate pressure on the Union Government to review the decision, he added.

It is well known that goods worth Rs 625 crore were handled by the Panambur Goods Yard in the previous financial year. The Palakkad division would now lose this revenue. Also, trains currently originating from Mangaluru, including services to the Kerala capital of Thiruvananthapuram, would come under the Mysore division. The result would be a Palakkad without a train originating from within its jurisdiction!

The decision to bifurcate the Palakkad division has come close on the heels of the earlier decision not to implement the proposed coach factory at Kanjikkode in Palakkad district.

Adding to the long list of neglect, the Union Government has also not given the green signal for a high-speed railway line. There is also a move to restrict Keralam to the Thiruvananthapuram division. As a result, Pinarayi said, the State would be denied new trains on the grounds of low revenue.

Another blow will be that with Mangaluru-based services coming under the Mysuru division, decisions on timings of trains would also be taken there. This could have serious implications for Keralam, particularly the Malabar region. This being the grim reality, Pinarayi urged the Chief Minister to intervene more effectively and called for the MPs from the State to unite against the decision.

It is clear as daylight that the Railway Ministry has succumbed to the political pressure of the BJP. It may be mentioned that the three BJP MLAs in Keralam Assembly have not reacted to the bifurcation decision.

Incidentally, Mangaluru was a part of the port network. Separating it from the Palakkad division would cause a huge financial loss to Keralam, he said, adding that it was unjust and discriminatory that the Railway Ministry did not even consider Keralam’s interests.

Now that the bifurcation decision is a fait accompli, the need of the hour is to launch immediate protest action. The time for mere statements is over. Hitting the streets with all the force at the command of political parties is the solution, a la the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP).

It remains to be seen whether the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) would accept the offer of Left Democratic Front (LDF) to launch a joint agitation on the issue. CPI(M) MP John Brittas has made it clear that the LDF would not do what the UDF MPs did whenever the previous LDF Government in Kerala went on the protest mode. Brittas reminded the UDF that its MPs had refused to join hands with the LDF when the Pinarayi Government was fighting to protect Keralam’s interests. Hopefully, the UDF MPs would accept the LDF offer and join hands with it to force the Union Government to reverse the bifurcation decision. That way lies salvation for Keralam as the Union Government listens only to the language of agitation. (IPA Service)