MARGAO
It was around 12.30 am Monday. A delegation of anti-track doubling activists descended on the tracks at the Davorlim railway crossing after the law-enforcing agencies yielded to their requests to check whether the Railways has honoured its promise to postpone the work of double-tracking.
A delegation of Goencho Ekvott comprising convenor Creson Antao and members, Royla Fernandes, Orville Rodrigues, besides Sankalp Amonkar and others returned after the inspection to convey the message that no work on track doubling is taking place at the crossing.
The mood, however, wasn’t upbeat amongst the protestors, comprising Congress workers, and other activists opposing track doubling, as they all vowed to stop all work on the double-tracking project immediately.
That the protestors were protesting on the road at Davorlim till the wee hours of Monday only indicates that they will not be cowed down by the pressure tactics of the government, including the deployment of a huge police force.
“Our agitation will continue, work at the Davorlim railway crossing is a small work compared to the kilometers of work that is being executed by the Railways. People have told us that the Railways has started dumping construction material at various places in the villages to expedite the work,” Amonkar said, but added that people will not allow the work to continue.
Goencho Ekvott Convenor Creson Antao said members of the organization also participated in the protests at the Davorlim railway crossing. He asserted that the organization will not rest till the controversial track doubling and coal transportation projects are scrapped by the government.
Unlike Chandor when thousands of people from across Goa poured into the heritage village the previous Sunday night, the crowd was certainly less in number at Davorlim, given that the main organizations spearheading the anti-track doubling and coal transportation, Goyant Kollso Naka and Goencho Ekvott, had decided not to agitate, but instead monitor the railway tracks to ensure that the Railways does not go back on its word.
The crowd, however, appeared firm in its resolve that they will not allow the double-tracking project to see light of the day as evident by the fact that they not only registered their protests but maintained a close vigil to ensure the planned work did not start at the level crossing.
Congress MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, who descended near the Davorlim level crossing, was heard questioning the police for blocking the road with ropes thereby hindering the people’s movement.
Congress leader Sankalp Amonkar said the people of Goa have lost faith in the BJP-led government, a situation that has prompted the people to act as protectors.
