Margao railway station to get another platform

Margao: The Margao railway station will soon get an additional platform. The fourth platform, being constructed at a cost of Rs 1.35 crore, is likely to be thrown open for the public within the next two months.

The 10m-wide and 600m-long platform will benefit passengers entering the station from the Aquem-end, as the new platform will also have ticket booking counters.

Deputy general manager (PR), Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd, Baban Ghatge, told TOI that passenger amenities like toilet blocks, waiting halls, etc. will also be constructed at the platform in due course of time.

The KRCL had plans to construct two more platforms at the Aquem-end of the station, and had also written to the state government to hand over 3,530 sq m of its land for the purpose. However, the failure of the state government to accede to the request, forced the KRCL to limit the expansion within the available land resources, sources said.

Though several new railway stations have been constructed along the Konkan Railway route over the last four-five years, the KRCL is going slow over the proposed construction of a new railway station between Margao and Balli, in view of opposition by locals.

Construction of a new station near Margao was aimed to decongest traffic movement at the Margao railway station. The new station was planned to serve as a junction connecting both the Konkan Railway and the South Western Railway (SWR) routes by a proposed bypass line that would facilitate direct switching of routes by trains thus avoiding the shunting process and bypassing the Margao station.