DYFI protests Palakkad railway division bifurcation, warns of revenue loss and impact on Keralam

The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Monday launched a protest against the proposed bifurcation of the Palakkad Railway Division, warning that the move could result in revenue losses and affect passengers, railway employees and businesses dependent on railway traffic in Keralam.

The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Monday launched a protest against the proposed bifurcation of the Palakkad Railway Division, warning that the move could result in revenue losses and affect passengers, railway employees and businesses dependent on railway traffic in Keralam. As part of the protest, DYFI activists boarded a train and distributed leaflets among passengers, highlighting what they described as the impact of the decision on the state.

Speaking to ANI, a protestor said the bifurcation would affect the Palakkad division by transferring key parts, including the Mangaluru region, to the Mysuru Division. "DYFI is raising this protest because the Central Government has decided to bifurcate the Palakkad division, with the main parts of the Palakkad division, including Mangaluru, going to the Mysuru division," the protestor said.

He said the move could affect train services and employment in the region, while claiming that the Palakkad division could face a revenue loss of around Rs 1,000 crore. "It will affect the people who travel through the train, and it will also cause the unemployment rate to increase. The revenue loss will be approximately Rs 1,000 crore to the Palakkad division," he said.

The protestor also alleged that the decision was politically motivated and would have an impact beyond railway operations. "It also affects the employees who are working in this division. It is a political agenda of BJP to support and favour the Karnataka BJP," he said.

He added that people operating cabs and shops near railway stations could also be affected by the reduction in railway activity. The Railway Board has decided to transfer the Mangaluru region and its stations from the Palakkad Railway Division to the Mysuru Division under South Western Railway. The change is scheduled to come into effect from October 1.

The decision has triggered protests from political parties and organisations in Keralam. On August 26, Congress-led United Democratic Front MPs held a sit-in protest in Palakkad opposing the bifurcation. The UDF alleged that the decision was politically motivated.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also criticised the move on Monday, saying it was taken without consultation with the Kerala government or MPs from the state. "This is a particularly unfortunate decision because it was made without any consultation with the Kerala government or Kerala MPs," Tharoor said.

He claimed that Palakkad division would lose Rs 1,100 crore in revenue following the bifurcation. Kerala Electricity Minister and KPCC president Sunny Joseph had earlier urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene, calling the decision unjustified.

"Detaching the main route from Palakkad division is an unjustifiable decision. We are agitating against the unilateral decision. We request the Prime Minister to intervene," Joseph told ANI. (ANI)