Goencho Ekvott founder member Orville Dourado along with Olencio Simoes and others while addressing media at Ravindra Bhavan Baina.
Photo Credits: Vikram Nayak
VASCO
Goencho Ekvott along with affected land owners on Monday submitted objections to the Mormugao Dy Collector against the land acquisition award for the double-tracking project.
Speaking to reporters, Olencio Simoes said the Supreme Court had revoked the double-tracking project.
"The Supreme Court, in a writ petition dated May 9, 2022, had revoked doubling of the existing railway line from Castlerock (Karnataka) to Kulem (Goa) on grounds that there are better alternative ports like Krishnapatnam in east coast available with better rail connectivity for transport of goods to and from the industrial belt of northern Karnataka,” said Simoes.
“The SC has also observed that the capacity of the existing tracks is yet to be fully utilised and stated that a third railway line from Toranagallu Junction to Krishnapattam Port would be a better alternative than the construction of a second line connecting Mormagao Port to the industrial belt in Bellary district.”
Simoes said the entire land acquisition for doubling of the railway had lapsed as the publication has crossed 2 years and 7 months which initially had to be completed within 12 months and therefore the entire process is null and void.
GE founder member Orville Dourado stated that GE has submitted another memorandum to the deputy collector to immediately stop work on the doubling in Velsao, Dando.
"We have submitted a memorandum to stop the work as the South Western Railway has not responded to the issue of the 10 meters Right of Way on either side of the existing track which was raised by villagers and landowners.”
“It is very clear that the SWR has no title to this land. Therefore, the GE has demanded that RVNL should stop illegally constructing a road by felling several trees and filling low-lying areas of Velsao and to drop land acquisition proceedings," said Dourado.
