Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: Finally, great news for Canconcars, Union Minister for Railways directed Railways to immediately begin ‘Halts’ of two long-distance trains at Canacona KRC Railway Station, assured Canacona Station ‘Halt’ of a third train in the near future.
On Wednesday, the Goa Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar led a delegation of Canaconcar’s (including the Chairperson of Canacona Municipal Council) camping in New Delhi since Sunday to pursue various developmental works and demands of Canconcars, met the Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw over the hot issue of resumption of long-distance Trains Halts at Canacona KRC Railway Station.
When the ‘Trains-Halt’ demand was presented before the Union Railways Minister, Vaishnaw, is learnt to have immediately accepted the request and guaranteed the delegation that 2 long-distance Trains would have a ‘Halt’/stop at Canacona Station immediately.
Further, the union Minister assured the delegation that one (1) more train will have a brief ‘Halt’/stop at Canacona Station in the near future.
CMC Chairperson Ramakant Naik Gaonkar and Goa Cricket Association Vice-President Shamba Naik Dessai are also part of the delegation which called on the Union Railway Minister in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The local BJP unit at Canacona thanked the Union minister for Fulfilling the long-standing demand of Canacona people stating, ‘A big and heartfelt thanks to Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw for fulfilling a long-standing demand of Canconkars’.
It may be recalled that the issue of long-distance trains stopped to make’ Halts’ at Canacona Railway station was initially raised by the Senior Citizen Forum of Canacona and immediately taken –up by Congress workers. Shortly later, agitational programmes, including a Hunger Strike, were held by the involvement of 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), till recently, The local unit of BJP and thereafter Canacona Municipal Council made separate representations to Canacona MLA/ Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar. CRSBAC has given an ultimatum up to 10th February to resolve the deadlock or face stir, including Rail-roko, Canaocna Bandh and other protests
Incidentally, while several trains, including Rajdhani, runs through Canacona, 3 trains Trivandrum Netravati Express, Matsyaganda Mangalore Express and Gandhidham Express, used to make Halts at Canacona KRC Railway Station running on either way.
After the train services were resumed following Cvoid-19 lockdown with certain precautionary measures, the Halts for these trains altogether stopped, putting several train commuters, including senior citizens, Tourists, and businessmen to inconvenience.
