MARGAO
Cries of “Amkan zai subway, amkan zai subway” reverberated on the streets of Chandor and Guirdolim on Sunday morning, as hundreds of villagers from Chandor, Guirdolim and neighbouring villages marched to the Chandor railway station, setting a month’s ultimatum to the railway and government authorities to come out with a concrete plan to build a subway at the rail level crossing or face a rail
roko agitation.
Local Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias, Chandor parish priest Fr Simao Rodrigues, Guirdolim chaplain Fr Martin Dourado, and elected representatives of Chandor, Guirdolim and Macazana panchayats joined hands on Sunday to demand the subway. The peaceful march began at the football grounds, before wending its way through the market and culminating at the Chandor railway station, wherein a delegation led by the Cuncolim MLA submitted a memorandum to the station master demanding a subway at the level crossing.
Angry villagers claimed that successive governments and politicians have only cheated them with false and empty promises over the decades, while they have been made to suffer for years for no fault of theirs. The villagers cried foul over the total insensitivity and apathy from the authorities concerned towards the affected people, notwithstanding a solution promised by all
political parties.
Guirdolim chaplain Fr Martin Dourado said this issue should be resolve at the earliest as school children, patients and office goers are put to great hardships by the frequent closure of the railway crossing. “A subway will help everyone, including patients transported to hospitals,” he said.
Chandor parish priest, Fr Simao Rodrigues said railways, no doubt, is a necessity, but people should not be left in the lurch. “The level crossing at Chandor is a big obstacle to everyone, including school children who also face the danger at the crossing. The children and office goers do not reach schools and offices on time,” Fr Simao pointed out.
Addressing the people, Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias said that he would immediately submit all documents and plans to the government on the subway before setting a one-month deadline to kick-start work on the project. “As an MLA, I would lead the villagers of Chandor and Guirdolim to enforce a rail roko agitation if our demand is not met immediate. This is our genuine demand and I am ready to face even arrest,” he said.
A local Petwin Fizzaddo told the media that the villagers are insisting on the subway at the existing level crossing for light vehicles since the proposed flyover 3.5 kms away will not serve the purpose. “We want a subway and also want the level crossing to remain open. The proposed flyover located around 3.5 kms will not help the villagers since the railway line cuts right through the village,” he said. The memorandum signed by the Guirdolim panchayat said that the level crossing remains closed approximately for seven hours a day with the increase in the frequency of the rail traffic.
