Railway Board has started preliminary works on separation of railway route/lines situated in Kanniyakumari district and Tirunelveli districts of Tamilnadu from Trivandrum Division of Southern railway. It is a happiest news for the people of southern Tamilnadu, who have been facing neglect by the Trivandrum Division and the move should be appreciatedand welcomed by all walks of life.

                        But immediately after flash of the news of separation, the political parties and MP and MLAs centered at Trivandrum have opposed the move and threated to block the move at any cost saying that the separation would affect the prospects of their interest. This is condemnable and not accepted. We are asking our rights not your revenue or anything else, in which the politicians and political parties of Trivandrum do not have any say. In fact they should realize why the separation issue is came up and retrospect the reasons for the separation. 

                    Today they are all in the street opposing the proposed separation of lines situated in Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli districts, but have they ever voiced against the stepmother treatment of the Trivandrum Division towards Kanniyakumari district? Have they ever voiced against the continuous rejection of development in railway related infrastructure in the district by the division? No.  Then how can they now oppose the separation of the routes. Has the division ever retrospect their mistakes and sin committed for the people of Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli districts  by neglecting railways related development in these district?  

                    In fact they should tender anopen apology to the people of Kanniyakumari district for their closed eyes towards the development of railway infrastructure and the stepmother treatment of the division. They never think development of Kanniyakumari district. We have been struggling for the last 36 years for getting good railway connectivity with all infrastructure.  At that time no one from Kerala came forward to support our voice. Today they are all opposing it that we cannot accept it.

The Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil-Kanyakumari railway line was opened on 16^th April 1979, and brought under the Madurai Division of Southern Railway.  When the Trivandrum Division was formed on 2^nd October 1979 by carving out some of the Broad Gauge (BG) sections of Madurai Division, the newly laid Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil-Kanyakumari BG line and the (then) under-construction Tirunelveli-Nagercoil BG line were also brought under the control of Trivandrum Division, quoting administrative convenience. However, it was then mentioned that when the Tirunelveli-Madurai line was converted into BG line, the sections falling under Kanyakumari and Thirunelveli districts would be transferred back to Madurai Division. Subsequently, the Thirunelveli-Madurai line was converted into BG line on 8-4-1981 and ever since people have been demanding the merger of all BG lines in the Kanyakumari and Thirunelveli districts with Madurai Division.  But nothing was happened as promised.

                       We are not asking to separate the line from Nemam.  We are asking to separate line from Kulithurai West and attach it with Madurai Division. We are clear that we do not want Nemam to be attached with Madurai, let you keep it.

                          You may have hundreds of wishes including formation of a separate railway Zone for Kerala state. That is your right and wish.  But we are not a party to that and you do not ask and expect our district to be attached with your wishes. You do not have any right to ask for that. Moreover, this is not a bifurcation as they narrate.  This is a separation of some 155 km length of route from Trivandrum Division.  This separation should be carried out smoothly. The politicians should support the separation and give a way for smooth transfer of the lines from the division and try to remove strains of sin on them.  

We once again request all the parties to support the separation. We also thank Shri Pon Radhakrishnan for his efforts for the cause.