Centre will consider Salem Rly Division: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 8 (UNI) Kerala Sports Minister M Vijayakumar, who is also in charge of Railways, told the Assembly today that the Centre has assured that it would consider the decision of forming the Salem Railway Division bifurcating the Palakkad Division.

Replying to a calling attention motion by K M Mani (KC(M), he said since the bifurcation would adversely affect the Palakkad Division, as 623 km of the total 1,132 km under the division would go to the proposed new division at Salem in Tamil Nadu, a united effort was required to retain the Palakkad Division's status intact.

Raising the matter, Mr Mani pointed out that the proposed Salem Division was quite objectionable and against the interest of the state and wanted the State Government to take up the matter seriously with the Centre.

He claimed that the formation of a new division would not be on the linguistic basis and suggested that the floor would unitedly pass a resolution against it.

Mr Vijayakumar said the formation of the new division, headquartered at Salem in Tamil Nadu, by bifurcating the Palakkad Division, would be harmful to the development of the railways in the state. This had been brought to the notice of both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad.

The Centre has also agreed to call a meeting of both Chief Ministers to discuss the matter.

Mr Vijayakumar also said the Centre had yet not conceeded the state's demand for a separate zone for the state, as many of the Southern states had their own Railway Zones.

He said the state should put pressure on the Centre for the allocation of a separate zone.

UNI