Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Amid opposition concerns over coal transportation linked to the railway double-tracking project, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday reiterated that the government will not permit coal handling beyond the allowed limits.
Addressing the media, Sawant said, “We will not increase coal handling in the State. Let me be clear: coal will not exceed the permissible limit.” He added that the Railway Ministry has affirmed the project’s potential to boost tourism and trade in the region.
“The Opposition seems focused only on coal, but the Ministry has confirmed that the double-tracking project will benefit tourism, and there will be no increase in coal beyond the approved limit,” Sawant emphasized.
In parallel, the Indian Railways has announced plans to acquire approximately 6,000 sq metres of land in South Goa for the project. The land is located in the villages of Cansaulim, Sancoale, and Issorcim, with public feedback being sought. The notice specifies that the acquisition may include land with or without existing structures, forming part of the proposed Hospet–Tinaighat–Vasco-da-Gama track doubling initiative in Goa.
