Title - Margao's rail issues raised at Centre: Savio Coutinho

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MARGAO: Former Margao municipal council chairperson Savio Coutinho demanded that the railways set up an additional ticket counter at Margao railway station, construction of a fly-over bridge at Comba level crossing and find a permanent solution to the temporary rehabilitation occupants at Azad Nagar, located on the southern side of the station.

Briefing mediapersons at Margao on Monday after returning from Delhi where he met Union railway minister Mukul Roy, he said he urged the minister to consider the demands he made on behalf of the people.

"At this station there is just one ticket counter on the southern side, as such the commuters on the northern side and more specially the commuters of Aquem/Malbhat areas and more especially senior citizens face great inconvenience and cross over to the ticket counter on the southern side," said Coutinho while stressing the need for an additional counter.

The former Margao chairperson highlighted the plight faced by locals at the level crossing in Comba and pointed that it is used daily by lakhs of people including school and college students.

"Some years ago a subway was constructed for the use of small vehicles and pedestrians. Due to lack of foresight or ill-planning, the said subway is perennially flooded during monsoons. Even pumping out of water does not solve the problem," said Coutinho, adding that it is an accident prone site as well.

Regarding temporary rehabilitated occupants at Azad Nagar, Coutinho said that they had lost their houses for construction of the railway station and were living there since 1993 and paid rent to the Konkan Railway Corporation.

Coutinho had contested the assembly seat of Margao on a TMC ticket in March, 2012, where he finished third behind the Congress and the BJP candidate.