Top railway official assures to spruce up Dabolim

VASCO: Executive Director of Railways (Stores) C V Raman assured that the neglected Dabolim station would get better infrastructure and passenger amenities soon as the halt-station’s current condition was bad.

Raman was on an official visit to Goa to check the preparedness and invite suggestions for the ongoing upgradation of the Vasco station and few others under south-western railways. 

According to information, Goa members of the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (DRUCC), in a meeting held at Vasco railway station on Monday pointed to the dilapidated condition of the Dabolim station, which Herald highlighted a few weeks back.

“As rightly highlighted by Herald, the issue was serious. We needed prompt action on the Dabolim railway station, which is a den of anti-social elements at night, leading people to avoid taking passenger train services from there. Today the issue was brought to our notice and it was assured that the same would be addressed shortly,” said DRUCC Goa member Chandrakant Gawas.

The canteen facilities at the Vasco station, improvement of the Sanvordem station, running of a daily passenger train from Vasco to Miraj, restart of the Vasco-Tirupati train and extension of the same to Hyderabad-Secunderabad were a few of the other issues briefly discussed in the meeting. 

The issue of menaces outside the Vasco station was also brought up. However, as it was beyond their jurisdiction, the railway authorities requested the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) to join the meeting to find a solution for the issue. MMC Chairperson Lavina D’Souza and Vice Chairperson Tara Kerkar arrived soon after. 

“The suggestions made by DRUCC members were heard and the same will be forwarded to senior officials. Also, as the public are using the area outside the Vasco station as a urinal, thereby creating nuisance, the MMC assured to seek a resolution giving their NOC for developing the entrance and exit,” said Raman. 

For the first time in the last several decades a joint meeting between railway officials and the MMC was held to seek cordial relations and resolve issues which hindered the overall beautification of Vasco station.

According to the members present at the meeting, the station’s entrance and exit were in bad state despite the railway administration carrying out extensive repair works on the station building’s to give it a modern look.