Goa, a coal hub? Activists, politicians oppose rail expansion

Hundreds of people, including some leaders of the Congress and other parties, sat on a rail track in South Goa to protest against a rail doubling work, claiming it is being done to transport coal from the state to neighbouring Karnataka.

The Goa government, however, said the protest is “politically motivated” and unwarranted.

Several people, under the banner of ‘Goyant Kollso Naka’ (GKN-don’t want coal in Goa), gathered at Chandor village, located 50 km from here in South Goa district, around 11 pm on Sunday and continued the protest till 5 am on Monday.

Representatives of various political parties, including the opposition Congress, the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), also took part in the protest.