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MARGAO
Velim MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues and officials of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, besides local sarpanch Perry Da Costa and panch members descended at Sao Jose de Areal village on Wednesday as local residents of Galle and Molla demanded a solution to the long-standing problem thrown up by the railway line passing right through the wards, dividing the area into two halves.
The local people had been knocking the doors of successive governments and MPs to work out a solution by either building an underpass or a flyover at the area to resolve the long-standing problem.
The Velim MLA discussed with Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd senior official Sahoo the issue of constructing an underpass at the unmanned level crossing. Neri asked the railway officials to first prepare a plan and estimates before the issue of funding of the project is discussed with the state and central governments.
After the joint inspection, Neri told the media that the RVNL official has agreed to first prepare estimates of the project for a “limited height underpass” at the crossing. “Rough estimates have put the cost of the project to Rs 2-3 crore. We will pursue the matter with the state government since the Chief Minister had earlier inspected the place and there’s whole lot of correspondence from the local residents and the panchayat to the government and the railway authorities,” he said.
He said the demand raised by the residents of Molla and Galle is genuine as they face hardships to cross to the other side or go to the local church or drop their children to school.
Residents of Molla, Galle and Ralloi have been facing hardships for want of an underpass or overbridge at the railway crossing. They complained that they have to travel around seven kilometers to reach their wards to school when an underpass or overbridge would have reduced their travel by just two kms.
