MARGAO
The village panchayat of Velsao led by Sarpanch Maria Diana Gouveia on Monday submitted a representation to the South Goa district Collector to reconsider and suspend the proposed closure of Level Crossing No. 26 in the village for the laying of the double track until the concerns of the affected residents have been addressed.
The Sarpanch along with a delegation of citizens, including anti-track doubling activist Orville Rodrigues visited the South Goa Collectorate on Monday morning for a meeting with the district Collector, who had last week issued an order giving permission for the closure of the road at the Level Crossing no 26 for the laying the double track. However, since the Collector and the Additional Collectors were holed up in Panaji for official work, the delegation entered the representation at the Collector’s office for necessary action.
In the representation, the Velsao Sarpanch drew attention of the district Collector to the serious inconvenience and hardship this decision is likely to cause to the residents of Velsao, particularly those residing on the western side of the railway crossing.
She pointed out that the Village Panchayat of Velsao-Pale-Issorcim has received no prior intimation or official communication regarding the proposed closure, as she expressed her deep concern that the Panchayat and the affected local community have been left uninformed about a decision that directly impacts their access and daily livelihood.
“It is pertinent to point out that the residents living on the western side of Level Crossing No. 26 have no alternative road access to their homes and localities. Consequently, the closure of this crossing, even for a limited period during the night, would effectively leave these residents without vehicular access”, the representation state.
Furthermore, the Sarpanch pointed out that a substantial section of the affected population belongs to the local fishing community, whose livelihood depends on access to the sea and the timely transportation of their daily catch. “Fishing activities and the transportation of freshly caught fish frequently take place during the night and early morning hours. Closing the crossing during this critical period would severely disrupt their livelihood, cause financial losses and create considerable hardship for families dependent on fishing for their sustenance”, she added.
Against this backdrop, the Sarpanch has called upon the Collector to ensure that an adequate and practical alternative access route is identified and made available before any closure or traffic diversion is implemented and to further ensure that the Village Panchayat is formally consulted and given prior written intimation regarding any future infrastructure works or traffic restrictions affecting the village.
