Malappuram DDC urges Centre to drop Palakkad rail division split

The Malappuram District Development Committee (DDC) has unanimously opposed the proposed bifurcation of the Palakkad Railway Division and urged the Railway Board and the Union government to withdraw the plan. The Railway Board has proposed shifting the Mangaluru-Ullal section from the Palakkad division to the Mysuru division.

The committee said the move would affect rail development and passenger services in Malappuram, north Malabar, and Kasaragod. A resolution moved by Gafur Kurumadan representing Public Works Minister P.K. Basheer said the change could hinder new train services, additional stops, and infrastructure projects in the region.

P.K. Navas, MLA, lauded the police for maintaining peace at Unnyal beach after recent political clashes. He asked the Tirur Sub-Collector to take further action, including arrests if required, and remove unauthorised political structures, sheds, boards, cutouts, and flags.

The Sub-Collector said the parties had been asked to remove them, and that the Revenue authorities would remove those left after Sunday (September 6, 2026). MLAs T.V. Ibrahim, Abid Hussain Thangal, and P.M.A. Sameer asked the Regional Transport Officer to address problems caused by long-distance buses not entering service roads along National Highway 66.

The District Medical Officer said H1N1, leptospirosis and dengue cases were being reported amid changing weather, but they remained under control. Mr. Ibrahim also sought the restoration of roads damaged by Jal Jeevan Mission works at Vallikkunnu.

Mr. Thangal sought faster progress on the Puthoor-Chenakkal bypass work and the proposed fire station at Valanchery. M. Rahmathulla, MLA, asked officials to speed up the survey for the Manjeri-Olipuzha road and fill vacant posts if staff shortages were delaying the work.

The meeting felicitated three panchayat secretaries — A.M. Narayanan of Edavoor, P. Avisanna of Mampad and Krishnakumari of Pothukallu —for their performance in project implementation. Seven village officers — K.V. Madhu of Ponnani municipality, Mini Shyamalan of Thalakkad, P.V.

Shaji of Parappur, Suja Jacob of Alipparamba, Muhammed Poovakkadan of Panakkad, Preethi of Karulai and Unnikrishnan of Muthuvallur — were also felicitated for their performance.