MARGAO
A major showdown between anti-track doubling agitators and railway and district authorities appears on the cards at the Chandor railway crossing on the intervening night of November 1 and 2.
While the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd has planned laying of the double track, beginning from 00.00 hours and 05.00 hours on November 2, anti-track doubling protestors seemed equally gearing up and mobilizing people to oppose and stop the planned work at the Chandor railway crossing.
Organizations agitating against the double-tracking project including Goencho Ekvott, Goyant Kollso Naka and political parties and leaders have threatened to stage a massive midnight protest at the Chandor railway crossing on November 2 if the South Goa district Collector fail to revoke the NOC issued to the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd to close the railway crossing to lay the double track.
Goa Forward leaders have resolved to descend at the Chandor railway crossing on the night of November 1-2 to support the people and stop the double tracking work. Former Cuncolim MLA Joaquim Alemao has also said his supporters from Cuncolim constituency will also descend at the Chandor railway crossing on the intervening night of November 1-2 to stop the laying of the railway track.
Goencho Ekvott leader Creson Antao has warned the authorities that there could be a law and order situation in the state if the district Collector does not intervene and immediately revoke the permission granted to the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd for closure of the level crossing roads at Chandor on November 2 and Davorlim on November 9.
Creson further warned that thousands of people will hold a midnight protest at the Chandor railway station on November 2, adding that the district Collector and the state government will be responsible for any law and order situation.
Goyant Kollso Naka co-convenor Abhijit Prabhudesai gave a call to the people of Goa to support the villagers of Chandor and Guirdolim on November 1 and 2 to stop the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd from laying the double track at the Chandor railway crossing. “People of Goa will descend at the Chandor railway crossing on November 1 evening itself to stop the work planned at midnight on November 2”, Abhijit warned.
Till late in the evening, there was no word from the office of the South Goa district Collector on the plea made by the organizations to revoke the NOCs issued to the railways to lay the double track at the railway crossings at Nessai, Chandor and Davorlim.
While the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd bulldozed its way and the double track at the Nessai railway crossing on October 28 with police protection and by ignoring the peaceful protests by the anti-track doubling activists, all the organizations opposing the track doubling project and the political outfits seemed now gearing up and mobilizing people to oppose the work at the Chandor railway crossing on the intervening night of November 1-2.
