M.K. Raghavan, Kozhikode MP, has written to C.M. Ramesh, chairperson, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways, seeking the suspension of the proposed bifurcation of the Southern Railway’s Palakkad division.

In his letter, Mr. Raghavan said that the detachment of the Mangaluru area from the Palakkad division of the Southern Railway and its merger with the Hubballi division of the South Western Railway would lead to the shifting of key interchange boundaries, stripping Palakkad of its most critical operational assets.

He pointed out that Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction stations were the division’s primary terminals equipped with full-fledged 24-coach pit lines, and losing them would severely cripple its ability to maintain, originate, and service full-length passenger trains in north Keralam. Nearly 16 originating services would also be transferred out.

Mr. Raghavan said the Railways had earlier rejected a proposal to set up pit lines at West Hill station in Kozhikode, citing reasons such as the proximity of similar facilities at Mangaluru. Now, the division would be left with no full-fledged pit line.

Mr. Raghavan urged Mr. Ramesh to intervene and suspend the order on bifurcation and ensure that no further steps were taken towards its implementation until the Keralam government and the State’s representatives in Parliament were formally consulted.