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This spick and span coastal town popularly known as Vasco was
originally called Sambhaji. Imposing multi-storeyed buildings and a
church dominate the city centre here. Close to Marmagoa Harbour
and three km from Dabolim airport, Vasco-Da-Gama is the terminus of the railway line into
Goa. As the
Konkan Railway becomes fully operational, however, even fewer
travellers will need to venture up to this unexciting town. The port
town of Vasco-Da-Gama on the on the southern bank of river Zuari is
connected to Marmagoa Harbour by an isthmus. The capital had been
shifted in 1703 by the then Viceroy from Old Goa to Vasco, due to
the periodic plague that affected the old city. However, as the
civil works were incomplete and the administration
non functional, they shifted the capital to Panaji. In 1878 when the
railway line from Marmagoa to Londa was being planned, there was
another move to capital from Panaji to Marmagoa. The planned was
failed. In 1886 the energetic Governor FJ.Ferreira Do Amaral made a
bid to develop the area on the eastern side of the fort of Marmagoa
up to Vaddem. He named it VASCO DA GAMA, in honour of the
great discover of the sea route to India. On 27 July 1917 the taluka
of Marmagoa was created and Vasco Da Gama was named its capital
city. The city grew around the fort and the port at the Harbour.
There was a club house, tree shaded streets and a Municipal Park
which still exist. The Railway Line which passes from the port to
Londa gave great impetus to development of the city
Area
Climate
Population :
34,000 (1991).
Telephone Code: 0834.
Tourist Season
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