Alina objects to KRC doubling Vasco-Londa railway tracks

PANJIM: Forest and Environment Minister Alina Saldanha strongly objected to the Union Railway Ministry’s proposal to double the existing Vasco da Gama to Londa South Western Railway line. She pointed that a similar announcement had been made in 2013, but the State government had turned down the project and refused to permit acquisition of any land for the purpose. 

Quoting from Herald dated July 17, 2013, Saldanha underlined that then chief minister Manohar Parrikar had said, “Whatever has come (for permission) we have refused. The TCP has also refused permission. The double line will not be permitted in Goa.” 

Further, Parrikar is also reported to have said in a vernacular daily’s July 18, 2013 edition, “Goa was satisfied with the existing single track which meets the requirements of the State. This doubling of tracks will only benefit a few industrialists and industries situated outside the State which import coal through Mormugao Port Trust. There will not be much benefit for Goa’s industry.”

Saldanha said that there are many ancestral houses situated right next to the existing single line in most of the villages of Salcete and Mormugao talukas and these have developed cracks and if the railway line is doubled, the adverse effect on these houses would be tremendous and lead to collapse/destruction of most of these houses. 

“Sustainable development is people centric. If it is not, it cannot be called development and can be equated with destruction. What people want is development without destruction. Is the government going to repay the owners of these dwellings? What about the heritage value of these houses?” Saldanha asked.

At present the people living in the villages have a harrowing time crossing the railway line   and with the doubling of lines the harassment and the time spent at the crossings will increase manifold.

According to Saldanha another important fact has to be borne                                   n mind is that most of these families had given land for laying the South Western Railway line in the first instance and with the laying of the second line, more land will have to be given and also, the railway tracks will land in the midst of their houses.

The minister further recalled  that at the time of laying the Konkan Railway line in order not to inconvenience the local populace, the Konkan Railway had initially solemnly promised the Oza Commission that it would construct road over bridges, road under bridges, minimizing the number of manned/unmanned level crossings wherever required. 

“However, all these promises have been merely on paper and now the State government has to spend large sums of money to share the costs of these projects which should have been constructed in the first place by KRC itself,” Saldanha claimed. 

“Despite repeated follow up of these projects since 2012, they are yet to see the light of day. How will the people of Cansaulim and other villages cope if the lines were doubled?” Saldanha questioned.