Centre takes historic decision to bring Mangaluru under SWR, says V. Somanna

Centre takes historic decision to bring Mangaluru under SWR, notes V.

Key points

• He expressed special gratitude to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for his immediate response and approval of the proposal prepared in the interest of the public.
• In-depth discussions were held in that session to find a permanent solution to the complex challenge that had remained unresolved for years.

Centre takes historic decision to bring Mangaluru under SWR, notes V. Somanna Published – August 21, 2026 10: 34 pm IST – MANGALURU.

Minister of State (MoS) for Railways V. Somanna on Friday remarked the Union administration had taken a "historic" decision to fulfil the long-standing demand of the public and rail passengers of coastal Karnataka by bringing the Mangaluru railway region under the South Western Railway (SWR).

In an official note, the MoS created it clear that one of his top priorities was to resolve the administrative confusion in the Mangaluru region immediately after taking charge. In this context, Mangaluru was one of the first cities he visited, having been there in July 2024 to hold a high-level session with the General Managers of the Southern Railway (SR) and South Western Railway (SWR) and the chairman and managing director of the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL). In-depth discussions were held in that session to find a permanent solution to the complex challenge that had remained unresolved for years.

Mr. Somanna remarked the inclusion of the Mangaluru region in the SWR would eliminate administrative hurdles, ensure speedy redressal of public grievances and provide new impetus to the development of railway infrastructure and connectivity in the coastal region.

Taken together, the developments around centre takes historic decision to bring Mangaluru under SWR, says V. Somanna point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.