MARGAO
Asserting that the Railways too is very much concerned about the environment, Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) officials maintained that it has abandoned plans to lay the second track in front of the Dudhsagar waterfalls, but has instead decided to go for a tunnel behind the waterfall to lay the second track.
The RVNL officials also assured to restore the rivulet at Guirdolim to its original condition after completion of the ongoing work.
John Shilshi, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to RVNL General Manager, S B Sahoo, told the Guirdolim and Chandor villagers, besides activists at Chandor on Saturday that the Railways has now decided to go in for 8.2 km tunnel instead of 2.5 km at Molem to lay the second track.
“We want to assure the people of Goa that the Railways will not disturb the present settings at Dudhsagar waterfalls. Our initial plan was to lay the second track in front of the waterfall running parallel to the existing track. But, it has been decided now to go for a tunnel just behind the waterfall so as not to disturb the settings at Dudhsagar,” he said.
Shilshi and Sahoo answered a volley of questions from the Chandor and Guirdolim villagers and the activists during the interactions moderated by a local villager Jaret D’Silva. “It is unfortunate that we have come to such a pass because of misunderstandings. When we are in the wrong, we have made it clear that we are ready for dialogue to work out solutions,” Shilshi said.
He and Sahoo, however, stuck to their stand that the duo is not competent to stop the work on the project, even as they promised to restore the rivulet to its original condition.
Cornered by the villagers on the purpose behind constructing a road along the tracks at Guirdolim which has no habitation, Shilshi said the road will be dropped if villagers do not want the facility.
Both Shilshi and Sahoo said the Railways have laid the foundation for the columns at Guirdolim to build a platform as well as to lay the second track.
