{
  "id": 3475053,
  "title": "Mangaluru’s integration with SWR should be used for aggressive Railway development in the region: Kanyakumari Association",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/mangalurus-integration-with-swr-should-be-used-for-aggressive-railway",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-26T09:18:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/mangalurus-integration-with-swr-should-be-used-for-aggressive-railway-development-in-the-region-kanyakumari-association/article71392057.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Kanyakumari District Railway Users’ Association (KKDRUA) has welcomed the South Western Railway's decision to split Mangaluru Railway region away from Southern Railway's Palakkad Division and integrate it into their Mysuru Division. The Association Secretary, P. Edward Jeni, expressed hope that this integration would serve as a catalyst for further railway development projects in the region. This long-awaited shift in jurisdiction was long overdue and will greatly improve connectivity in Karnataka. The Kanyakumari Association, along with passenger associations in coastal Karnataka, has been advocating for equitable treatment for the region by Southern Railway’s Thiruvananthapuram Division. The Association stressed that this integration is just the beginning of a need for active development, rather than the end, and urged railway authorities and representatives to capitalize on this momentum. They proposed a joint task force, composed of people's representatives and senior officials from SWR and Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd., to conduct a thorough survey of Mangaluru Central and Junction Stations. This assessment should identify present bottlenecks, execute essential passenger amenities upgrades, and create a Master Plan to develop Mangaluru into a Mega Terminal. Furthermore, the task force should evaluate the existing pit lines at Mangaluru Central and Junction Stations, shifting primary maintenance of select long-distance trains to destinations outside Mangaluru, to alleviate congestion. Capacity enhancement of pit lines to accommodate 24-coach trains is also recommended. The Association also called for a comprehensive audit of all railway stations under the Mangaluru region, prioritizing full platform sheltering, improved lighting, modern toilets, escalators, lifts, and foot overbridges for seamless platform accessibility. Additionally, they suggested introducing new daily express trains connecting Mangaluru to major cities in Karnataka, extending long-distance trains terminating at Bengaluru to Mangaluru, and developing dedicated freight handling terminals to leverage the full economic potential of the SWR network.",
  "summary": "The integration should be a springboard for active development with push for new projects, speeding up stalled works and ensuring fair budgetary support",
  "key_points": [
    "Kanyakumari Association welcomes SWR's decision to integrate Mangaluru into Mysuru Division.",
    "Association calls for aggressive development, joint task force, and bottleneck assessment.",
    "Recommendations include platform sheltering, new express trains, and dedicated freight terminals."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}