Restore old train services, assoc urges Union ministry

MARGAO: Ahead of the railway budget to be presented in Parliament on July 8, the Sanvordem-Curchorem rail consumers association, in a letter addressed to Union minister for railways D V Sadanand Gouda, has urged him to restore the various train services along the South Western Railway (SWR) route, which were suspended in 1996 during the gauge conversion work but not restored ever since.
The association has requested Gouda to restore the Vasco-Miraj passenger and Vasco-Mumbai express train via Londa/Pune route, besides the Vasco-Bijapur express train service, considering the needs of the large number of people traveling on these routes for business, medical care and other purposes.
The association has also reminded the ministry about the long pending demand for a link- train service from Vasco to Tirupati-Hyderabad-Secundarbad.
It also demanded that the Vasco-Yeshwantpur bi-weekly express be converted into a daily service, and that it be renamed as 'Siddharudh Express', while the weekly Vasco-Chennai express be converted into a bi-weekly service and rename it 'Dudhsagar Express.'
"The number of passengers traveling to Belgaum, Ghatprabha and Miraj from South Goa has increased manifold during the last several years. The introduction of daily passenger trains along the route will lessen the hardships of these passengers," Devanand Bhandari, president of the association, told TOI. While demanding that the temporary halt at Curchorem-Sanvordem station for the Vasco-Velankani train be made a regular one, the association has requested the railway minister to make the Sanvordem-Curchorem railway station a 'adarsh' (model) station, on the lines of Konkan Railway's Margao railway station.