Bring Mangaluru rail network under single zone: KCCI

The Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has appealed to the Railway Ministry to bring the railway network in Mangaluru under the administrative control of a single railway zone. At present, the network is under the control of two zones (Southern Railway Zone and South Western Railway Zone), and a corporation (Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd).

In a letter to Piyush Goyal, Railway Minister, KCCI President Isaac Vas said that many developmental proposals could not make headway in the region due to the lack of coordination between the said zones/corporation. The overall potential of the Dakshina Kannada district is underutilised, and the region suffers due to indecision and delays by these entities.

Southern Railway sees potential for container freight loading from New Mangalore

“Hence, people of the region have been demanding attaching Mangaluru railway network under the administrative control of a single zone,” he said.

Stating that the Railway Ministry had conveyed approval for inclusion of Mangaluru railway network under the control of South Western Railway Zone in 2004, he said at that time the ministry decided that the changes would take effect after completion of the gauge conversion works between Hassan-Mangaluru sections.

“Unfortunately, the said order has not been implemented even after 14 years of completion of the gauge conversion works,” he said.

New tech on ghat section of Bengaluru-Mangaluru rail line

Potential to be tapped

Highlighting the potential of coastal Karnataka region, he said the Ro-Ro (roll on, roll off) service of Konkan Railways transporting goods-laden trucks from Surathkal near Mangaluru to Kolad near Mumbai has earned the appreciation of trade and transporter communities of the region. There is also potential to start the Ro-Ro service from Surathkal to Bengaluru. But since three different zones/corporation are controlling the operations of the Surathkal-Bengaluru railway line, one cannot expect the efficient operation of Ro-Ro service, he said.

At present, New Mangalore Port is catering to the import and export requirements of the vast hinterland of southern Karnataka. Mysuru region is witnessing increased industrial activities after the Container Corporation of India set up a terminal near Mysuru to transport the goods and machinery to the New Mangalore Port to meet the requirements of the surrounding industries. There are definite prospects of increased traffic originating from New Mangalore Port to Mysuru and the interior parts of Karnataka in the foreseeable future, he said.

Economic development

With all the developmental activities in and around Mangaluru, involving the establishment and capacity augmentation of industries, the transfer of Mangaluru railway network under one zonal railway has assumed greater significance, Vas said.

“Under these circumstances, the existing Mangaluru railway network under three different zones/corporation will retard train traffic efficiency. It will result in setbacks for industrial growth in the region. It calls for urgent action to transfer the Mangaluru railway network under one zone,” he said.

This transfer will trigger economic development of coastal Karnataka and south interior Karnataka regions with manifold benefits to the economy. It will give a tremendous boost to trade industry, agriculture and tourism activities with the resultant socio-economic benefits, he said.

“One expects that if Mangaluru comes under South Western Railways, all of the issues mentioned above will be resolved by the Railway Ministry for the area,” Vas added.

COMMENT NOW