SANGUEM
Residents of Kalay in Sanguem taluka have served an eight-day deadline to railway authorities to resume the local train from Kalay Village to Sanvordem, failing which they have threatened an agitation, including a 'rail roko' in the village.
This was conveyed to the Station Master at Kalay Railway Station during a meeting on Sunday. At the meeting, the residents also demanded completion of the road in the village up to the Chapel to be taken by railway authorities as the road comes within its property. They also sought the construction of an overbridge for two-wheelers to enable villagers to cross the tracks during busy hours.
The residents led by Sarpanch Narendra Gaonkar said the local train going from Kalay to Sanvordem was stopped in August with an assurance that the train would be resumed soon. They accused authorities of postponing the train service at the end of every month, causing them great hardship.
Residents said the local train would make two trips, one from Kalay to Sanvordem at 12.30 pm and the other from Sanvordem to Kalay at 2 pm, helping the student community from the village to a great extent.
Students would board the train in the village at 12.30 pm and reach on time for their classes at different higher secondary schools in Sanvordem which would start at 1 pm. Similarly, the afternoon train, which would leave Sanvordem at 2 pm, would help students to return home after their morning session classes in Sanvordem.
However, with the train services stopped, the student community is made to suffer as either they have to start early or depend on lifts from motorists to reach their classes.
Kalay Sarpanch Narendra Gaonkar informed that except for the local train which would benefit the villagers, the wagons carrying cargo move freely in the village even during the time when the local train was plying.
