Title - Govt rejects doubling of Vasco-Londa rail line

PANAJI: The state government has rejected the proposal of the South Western Railway (SWR) to double the existing railway track from Londa in Karnataka to Vasco in Goa as the state does not want any additional direct or indirect financial burden.

Chief minister Manohar Parrikar raised the issue of investment on the required infrastructure for doubling of the track and said, "Double line will not be permitted in Goa, we don't need it. I cannot support what Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) wants."

He also said that Goa government does not support the project because it will not increase industrial activity.

"First they have to show me how industry activities will increase in the state by doubling the track," he said.

Parrikar said the plan is to benefit the company that has been allotted a berth at MPT for coal handling. "MPT does not function on industrial requirement but functions based on requirement they have created," he said.

Parrikar said, the state will have to acquire land and pay for construction of bridges near unmanned and manned crossings due to increased rail traffic.

"Railways demand money from state governments for construction of bridges near railway crossing," Parrikar said.

Times View

The negative approach of the state government for any progressive project will shatter the economy in the long run and this will be no different from the Congress government at the Centre. Decisions on important projects should not be taken on political thoughts, but on economic thoughts. It's naive of the government to say that there will be no gain to industry.