MARGAO
Ahead of the midnight showdown between the protestors agitating against the double-tracking and coal transportation projects, Sunday noon saw a group of local people and workers engaged by the railways coming face to face in Chandor-Guirdolim.
The local people demanded that the railways remove the heavy machinery parked on a piece of land belonging to private owners.
Senior officials of the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, however, disputed the claim made by the locals, saying the land in question cited by the locals was reportedly being requisitioned by the Railways under the consent terms.
Railway officials further pointed out that the machinery was not mobilized for the work of laying the double track at the Chandor level crossing later midnight, but is operating in the area as part of the track-doubling pRoject.
A senior railway official pointed out that the heavy machinery was engaged for the ongoing double-tracking works at the Guirdolim-Chandor section. “The machinery was engaged for the ongoing piling work. Since the group of persons claimed that the machinery was found working and parked in private property, the supervisor thought it fit to stop the work,” the official said. Locals, however, pointed out that the Railways has allegedly encroached on private properties along the railway track, forcing the people to get the machinery removed from the place.
This is the second time in less than a week that locals opposing the double-tracking project have got the railways to stop the work. Earlier last week, residents of Sao Jose de Areal had got the Railways to stop work on the construction of rooms near the Nessai railway crossing on the ground that the contractor had no permission from the local panchayat body.
Sao Jose de Areal had put up a stop-work order on one of the constructions carried out by the railways since no permission was obtained from the local body.
