The Thiruvananthapuram–Nagercoil–Kanyakumari railway line was opened on 16 April 1979, and was then under Madurai division. Thiruvananthapuram division was formed on second October 1979 carving out certain sections from Madurai division. The metre-gauge sections of Madurai division were retained, while all the newly laid broad-gauge sections of Madurai division were transferred to Thiruvananthapuram division. Thus, the Thiruvananthapuram–Nagercoil–Kanyakumari BG line, and the under-construction Tirunelveli–Nagercoil BG line were transferred to Thiruvananthapuram division. It was then mentioned that when the Tirunelveli–Madurai line is converted into BG line the sections falling under Kanyakumari district and Tirunelveli district would be transferred back to Madurai division. The Thrunelveli–Madurai line was converted into BG line on 8-4-1981 and ever since people from south Tamil Nadu have been demanding the merger of Kanyakumari BG line with Madurai division.
Ever since its inception, Kanyakumari district has been willfully neglected by Thiruvananthapuram division, be it in providing railway infrastructure, providing the required train services, passenger amenities etc. Kanyakumari terminal station lacks the required railway infrastructures and therefore request for more train services were always turned down by them citing the same handicap as the reason. Kanyakumari district people are demanding transfer Kanyakumari–Nagercoil–Kuzhithurai–Thiruvananthapuram (except Thiruvananthapuram station) and Nagercoil–Tirunelveli (up to Melappalayam) section to Madurai division, at the earliest. It is also stressed that under any circumstances, the above places should be under the administration of southern railway zone that is with Chennai only. Even in future also this area should not be attached with any other zone including Trivandrum, Kerala.
