MARGAO
Seraulim villagers on Thursday red-flagged plans by the Konkan Railway Corporation to shut down the railway crossing, urging the KRC and district officials to find a solution to the waterlogging and stagnation at the road underpass in the village.
Senior Konkan Railway Corporation officials led by the Regional Manager, along with Deputy Collector Margao Ramesh Goankar, descended at Seraulim for a joint inspection of the road underpass, finding it inundated with water. Village Sarpanch Seema Shanke, panch members, and officials of other agencies were also present at the inspection.
The Railway Regional Manager later told the media that it is a fact that water is stagnating at the Seraulim underpass. Underscoring the need for a solution to resolve the issue highlighted by the villagers and satisfy their demand, the senior KRC official said the railway will try to resolve the issue with the right technology. “We have to find a solution. Nothing is impossible with the available technology, money, and time. The only question that remains to be answered is the cost-effectiveness,” he said.
Villager Kevin D’Souza said, “The villagers are opposed to the closure of the Seraulim railway crossing since the underpass built by the railways has failed to serve the purpose due to waterlogging and stagnation at the site. With the underpass witnessing waterlogging, villagers will be forced to first go to Margao before making it to the other side of the village if the railway crossing is shut down,” he feared.
Another villager, Rodney Almeida, protested over the decision by the railways to shut down the Seraulim railway crossing for vehicular traffic.
“The railway forecast says that around 90 trains will run on the tracks in the near future. Most of these trains will be freight carrying coal from the MPT to the neighboring states. Why should Seraulim villagers suffer on account of the movement of trains?” he said, opposing any plans to shut down the railway crossing,” he said.
