Team Herald
MARGAO: Amid growing opposition to the proposed railway station at Sao Jose De Areal, the Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) has reiterated that the station is being developed exclusively for passenger traffic and not for coal movement. The corporation maintains that the project is necessary to ease congestion at the Margao railway station, which has nearly reached full capacity and cannot be expanded further.
Resistance to the project has intensified, with the Sao Jose de Areal village panchayat recently convening an urgent gram sabha where residents unanimously opposed the proposed new station plan. The panchayat decided to formally communicate their objections to the authorities. In Sarzora, villagers organised a signature campaign, submitting a petition to the Chief Minister via Velim MLA Cruz Silva, while the village panchayat also resolved to write to the Union Railway Minister, expressing their opposition. “We’re worried about the influx of migrants, unregulated commercial activity, and increased crime which will accompany the railway station. Our village has remained peaceful because we have resisted such projects in the past. We will not allow any unplanned or unwanted development that threatens our way of life,” said Sabita Mascarenhas, a Sarzora panch member.
While responding to queries from media persons, KRC Deputy General Manager for Public Relations, Baban Ghatge, said that Margao railway station has reached a saturation point, operating at near-full capacity. Over the years, he explained that the station has expanded from a single platform to six, but that space constraints make further expansion unfeasible. With Indian Railways adding new trains annually, KRC needed an alternative solution to manage the growing passenger traffic, leading to the decision to establish a new station at Areal, which is just 2.5 kilometres from Margao, he said while justifying the need for another station.
Ghatge said work on the Areal station is already underway and that it will feature a platform and two railway lines. He explained that the primary purpose of the station is to facilitate train crossings, particularly during peak hours when Margao struggles to accommodate additional rail traffic. Addressing concerns raised by opponents, he dismissed claims that the station was being built to facilitate coal or goods transportation, clarifying that handling goods requires a dedicated yard, which cannot be set up at Areal due to space limitations. He reiterated that the new station will cater solely to passenger movement, ensuring smoother rail operations