In a major relief to people in Canacona, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw is reported to have directed the railways to immediately resume halts of two long-distance trains at the Canacona Konkan Railway Station, while assuring that a third train would also halt at Canacona in the near future.
On Wednesday, Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar led a delegation to meet Vaishnaw over the burning issue of resumption of long-distance train halts at the Canacona railway station.
Tawadkar, CMC Chairperson Ramakant Naik Gaonkar, Goa Cricket Association Vice-President Shamba Naik Dessai and others had been in New Delhi since Sunday to pursue various developmental works and demands of Canconcars.
When the demand for long-distance train halts at the Canacona railway station came up for discussion before the union minister, Vaishnaw is learnt to have immediately accepted the request and guaranteed the delegation that two long-distance trains would have a halt at Canacona station immediately.
Further, the union minister also assured the delegation that one more train would make a brief halt at Canacona Station in the near future.
Delighted on receiving these assurances, the local BJP unit at Canacona thanked the union minister for fulfilling the long-standing demand of the Canacona people.
While the Trivandrum Netravati Express, Matsyaganda Mangalore Express and Gandhidham Express used to make halts at the Canacona Railway Station in either direction, these halts were discontinued after train services were resumed post the Covid-19 pandemic. This had caused severe hardship to train commuters, including senior citizens, tourists and businessmen in Canacona.
This became a burning issue in Canacona which was initially raised by Senior Citizens Forum of Canacona and later by the Congress workers.
Recently, a hunger strike was staged by various organisations including Swabhimani Jagruth Canaconkars, Forum for Senior Citizens of Canacona, Vision and Mission-Progressive Canacona, Jana Sena Warriors under the banner of Canacona Railway Stop Bachao Action Committee (CRSBAC). The CRSBAC had even given an ultimatum till February 10 to resolve the deadlock or to face a stir including Rail-roko, Canacona Bandh and other protests.
The local unit of BJP and Canacona Municipal Council had also made separate representations to Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar to get the long-distance trains to resume halts at the Canacona Konkan Railway Station.
