NT NETWORK
DAVORLIM
Announcing that eight railway overbridges would be constructed across Goa, Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu on Sunday announced that work on doubling of the railway track from Vasco to Hospet in Karnataka would be taken up in three phases with an investment of Rs 3000 crore.
Speaking after inaugurating the CCTV surveillance system for 17 stations in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka and laying the foundation stone for the railway overbridge at Davorlim, Prabhu said the doubling of the track from Vasco to Hospet would be taken up in three phases – Vasco to Majorda rail-line would be taken up in the first phase while the second phase would include doubling of the line till Collem and the third phase would cover the line upto Hospet.
He said the track doubling would not only increase employment opportunities but also improve services in the state as the Railways can introduce more trains for Goa.
The Union minister said the rail track doubling would be taken up at the cost of Rs 3000 crore.
The railway ministry along with the state government will construct a total of eight overbridges in South Goa – five overbridges on the Konkan railway route and three will be taken up on the south western railway.
The construction of new rail overbridges would bring about a relief to road users who are inconvenienced due to frequent closing of railway gates at level crossings, he said.
Prabhu also announced commencement of a direct train from Goa to Tirupati once a week after September 15.
South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar had taken up the need for Goa to Tirupathi direct train for the benefit of devotees.
Prabhu also assured that the Railways would look into the matter of fare for the Goa-Velankanni train assuring that the travel would be made more affordable from next year.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar complimented Navelim MLA Avertano Furtado and the South Goa MP for the efforts put in to get necessary permissions for the construction of the overbridge at Davorlim.
The state government is receiving full support from the Centre. Work on the overbridge was being taken up on cost-sharing basis and the state was yet to deposit its contribution. Despite this, the Centre has gone ahead and has assured to take up construction of other overbridges too, Parsekar said.
Furtado said that this has been a dream come true for the people of Davorlim and surrounding villages.
He thanked Prabhu, Parsekar and Sawaikar for taking up the project assuring that work on the overbridge would be completed within 18 months.
He also thanked the people of Davorlim for the support especially the land losers who have supported the project.
Sawaikar also spoke on the occasion.