Over a decade ago when the Ministry of Railways announced the commissioning of the Patna-Vasco Da Gama superfast train, the State witnessed massive opposition from the citizens arguing about how it would further encourage the influx of immigrants.
The fear was that the coastal State, which already gained popularity as an international tourist destination, would have more of Non-Goans, particularly “Biharis” as the train begins its journey from this northern state.
Notwithstanding the opposition, the then Central government launched the weekly direct train service namely 12741/Vasco da Gama – Patna SF Express and 12742/Patna – Vasco da Gama SF Express in December 2008.
As more than one decade has passed, the issue has come back to haunt the State. This time an elected representative pointed at mass arrivals of ‘labour class’ immigrants into the State during the Assembly session.
“Thousands of labour class youth/ladies arrived in Goa by train number 12742 at Tivim Railway Station on July 22. The act of bringing such large labour class people in Goa is something immediately to be addressed by the govt in terms of verification, their reason for coming down to Goa, their employment details, etc,” said Khaunte. Soon thereafter, the govt ordered an inquiry.
“When a train full of labourers arrives in Goa, there is fear. Labourers come to Goa for work and then they get a plot (of land) with the help of elements in panchayats, they build a house and become voters. Where they have come from, what are their antecedents, all this needs to be checked” Khaunte had said during Question Hour on the floor of the House.
Herald tried to independently investigate into the now much-hyped issue. The train that departs from Vasco station on Wednesday and arrives at Patna Junction on Friday noon; reverses from Patna on Saturday to reach its final destination in Goa on Monday morning. Undoubtedly, hoards of non-Goan passengers board and alight at Vasco, Margao and Thivim railway stations.
The train halts at 21 stops crosses five states also including UP, MP and Maharashtra. Sources added that majority of the passengers belong to the uneducated and poor class and that they board from stations like Mughal Sarai Junction and Buxar, Ara in Bihar followed by Katni, Jabalpur and Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, etc. “Most of them are from the labour class in search of small-time jobs. Since the type of work and income is comparatively less in their respective states, Goa has been their employment destination. There are at least 80 per cent passengers boarding and alighting at Mughal Sarai Junction. These ‘labour class’ community also board and alight at Madhya Pradesh as well as Kalyan, Panvel and Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. A large number of Bihar natives as well as those from UP are also found in Maharashtra besides Goa,” said a regular traveler on the Vasco-Patna train.
Another passenger explained that majority of them travel in the general compartment and the sleeper class, making it over crowded. “However, there are a selected few who book the 3AC and 2AC seats segregating them from the other travelers. To the bad luck of those traveling in the 3AC, the ‘waiting-list passengers’ invade into the compartments asking the ‘confirmed ticketed passengers’ to adjust. It’s disgusting as the Ticket Collectors usually do not interfere as they fear there will be a backlash,” he said.
A Goan passenger, who has her parents working in Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow, recalled the same ordeal. “The waiting list passengers, without any courtesy, occupy the confirmed seats. They don’t care any objection we raise or complaints to the TC. It becomes really difficult to travel even on confirmed tickets,” she lamented while confirming her family travels via same train.
While not all passengers who board the direct train on the Southern Western Zone are from Bihar, it has been convenient for many to travel via this route considering that there is no break in the journey unlike before. “I plan to travel to Lucknow via same train in December,” she said.
It is now left to see what the ongoing inquiry reveals as the mass entry and exit of passengers is a weekly scene.
