PANAJI
In indications that a crucial new railway link to the Manohar International Airport at Mopa and the Jaigad sea port is on the agenda of the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL), the proposal was discussed at a recent meeting of the Konkan Railway Users Consultative Committee with positive inputs from the KRCL’s managing director.
The meeting held earlier this month at Mangaluru also discussed the possible usage of land owned by KRCL along the railway tracks in the Agacaim-Cortalim stretch for logistic activity and rack services for iron ore and coal transportation. Additionally, Ro-Ro services at Verna station coupled with creating loading-unloading infrastructure there were also discussed.
According to Chandrakant Gawas who attended the meeting, improving food facilities on the trains by partnering with Self-Help Groups (SHGs), the need for more trains on all routes and the need to double the tracks to up the efficiency were also discussed.
Railway and road connectivity are missing links to the greenfield airport at Mopa which was commissioned over a year ago. Industry captains have been mooting these proposals in their bid to promote Goa as a possible logistics hub.
MORTH has already provided funds for the road linking the airport to the National Highway 66 which is a six-lane project expected to be completed in the next two months.
The railway link from the existing Konkan Railway line to both the Mopa airport and the Jaigad sea port is expected to be a crucial boost to the plans for promoting the region as a logistic hub with connectivity in all four modes of transport -- air, road, rail and sea.
