Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Reacting strongly to the recent statement by former Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu, AAP Goa leader Francis Coelho has called upon Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant to oppose the proposed Vaibhavwadi-Kolhapur railway line, warning that it is a trojan horse for coal transport that threatens to devastate Goa’s environment, health, and future.
“The Chief Minister must categorically reject this so-called proposal. Sawant was elected to protect Goans, not to serve corporate interests. No Goans have approached him to support this project, so why is he entertaining businessmen from Maharashtra regarding a project that will destroy Goa? This project reeks of a coal corridor being disguised as development.” said Coelho.
Countering the claims made by former Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu who had suggested that the line would benefit piston and foundry industries, Coelho remarked, “Let’s not be fooled. Goa has
negligible industrial trade with Kolhapur or Kagal. We don’t manufacture automobiles, nor do we
supply raw materials to these sectors. This railway line is designed to serve large conglomerates like
Adani by creating an easier and more destructive route to transport coal – straight through Goa.”
Coelho further explained that the line connects directly to the Roha–Margao–Konkan railway,
which already runs through the entire length of Goa, cutting across numerous villages and towns.
“We are still vehemently fighting coal transport through South Goa. Now, this plan aims to drag
North Goa into the same toxic mess,” he said.
Highlighting the ecological impact, Coelho warned that the railway will cut through the Western
Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.
“Over 640 hectares of forest land is set to vanish. The project will fragment wildlife corridors, disturb the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve and adjoining sanctuaries, and threaten Goa’s own forest ecosystems. The
deforestation, tunneling, and blasting will trigger landslides, destroy habitats, and irreversibly
damage our environment.”
He urged Goan citizens, environmentalists, local panchayats, and civil society to stay alert and
united.
“This is not development. This is destruction masquerading as progress. We call upon the Chief Minister to stand with Goans, not coal barons. Reject this project. Protect our state. Goa’s future depends on it,” Coelho concluded.
