Double Tracking of Hosapete–Vasco Railway Line: A Threat to Goa’s Environment and Identity

Double Tracking of Hosapete–Vasco Railway Line: A Threat to Goa’s Environment and Identity

Vasco September 01, 2025: Adv. Sunil Loran, Leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (Vasco Unit), has voiced grave concern over the Union Railway Ministry’s recent announcement to commission the double tracking of the Hosapete–Vasco railway line. While the project is being promoted as a step toward improving coal transportation, it raises serious questions about the government’s priorities and its disregard for Goa’s ecological and cultural integrity.

“The government has shown no intention to revive iron ore infrastructure—perfectly usable systems were sold off as scrap. Instead, the focus is squarely on coal,” said Adv. Loran.

A Coal Hub in the Making?

The accelerated push for coal transport leaves little doubt: Goa is being positioned as a coal hub. This trajectory threatens to transform our vibrant coastal state—celebrated for its pristine beaches, rich heritage, and thriving tourism—into a conduit for polluting cargo. The environmental cost of such industrialization is too high, and the people of Goa must not be reduced to passive bystanders in this transformation.

“Goa must not become a garbage bin for polluting cargo like coal. We deserve development that respects our land, our people, and our future,” Adv. Loran emphasized.

Adv. Loran urges the Union Railway Ministry to reconsider the scope of the double tracking project and ensure it aligns with sustainable development principles and Goa’s tourism-driven economy. He calls upon citizens, civil society, and environmental advocates to unite in opposition to this project.

“Together, we can safeguard Goa’s identity and ensure that progress does not come at the cost of our environment. Let us build a future rooted in transparency, sustainability, and respect for our home.”

Adv. Sunil Loran
Leader, Aam Aadmi Party, Vasco Unit

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