After Mangaluru bades farewell to Southern Railway, forum recalls decades’ long association of coastal city with the Zone

As Mangaluru bade farewell to Southern Railway (SR) to embrace South Western Railway (SWR) on October 1, the Dakshina Kannada District Rail Users, an online forum of railway patrons, emotionally recalled the over-a-century-long association of the coastal city with SR and the Zone’s contribution to the railway infrastructure development in the region.

“We have demanded more. We have criticised shortcomings. We have fought for Mangaluru whenever we felt it deserved better,” the forum said, adding that criticism does not erase history. It said that since the formation of the Southern Railway in 1951 and the subsequent establishment of the Palakkad Division, these have been an important part of Mangaluru’s railway story — from infrastructure and freight to iconic trains, passenger connectivity and the modern Vande Bharat services.

Thanking every railway officer, engineer, technician, loco pilot, station staff, track maintainer, and railway employee who served Mangaluru for being a part of this history, the forum said, “As a new chapter begins, we carry forward the infrastructure, services, memories and legacy of this long association.”

Infrastructure creation

A view of Mangaluru Central Railway Station in Mangaluru. Mangaluru Railway Region came under South Western Railway’s Mysuru Division from Southern Railway’s Palakkad Division from October 1 in Mangaluru. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

Over the decades, SR has contributed to the development of Mangaluru Central as a major terminal and coaching centre while developing Mangaluru Junction as an important railway junction. It has also provided coaching, stabling, pit-line and carriage maintenance facilities at Central along with platform and terminal infrastructure and other operational assets. Progressive doubling and electrification of Mangaluru-Shoranur corridor, railway connectivity and sidings to New Mangalore Port and major industries were also done.

The forum said SR’s association with Mangaluru would also be remembered through many iconic trains, including Mangaluru Central-MGR Chennai Central Mail, Mangaluru Central-Thiruvananthapuram Central Maveli and Malabar Express, Mangaluru Central-Kanniyakumari Parasuram Express, Mangaluru Central-Mumbai LTT Matsyagandha Express and many more.

Mangala Express, which originally operated from Mangaluru Central, was later extended to Ernakulam Junction and subsequently evolved into today’s Mangala Lakshadweep Express (Ernakulam-Hazrat Nizamuddin).

SR also operated Vande Bharat Express services between Mangaluru Central-Madgaon and Mangaluru Central-Thiruvananthapuram Central.