Seraulim villagers red-flag govt’s plan for another railway track

MARGAO
In the midst of the hectic Lok Sabha election campaign, Seraulim villagers on Thursday red-flagged government’s plan to lay another rail track passing through the village, as they vowed to oppose tooth and nail attempts by the Railways to bulldoze with the project.

The villagers had a meeting with the local MLA Venzy Viegas and panchayat members to take stock of the situation and how to go about the matter if the government forces its way a la Arossim, Velsao and Cansaulim.

What has triggered the controversy was the letter sent by the Land Revenue Department that the government intends to put the land records in order. The villagers led by ex-panchayat member Kevin D’Souza pointed out that the plan submitted by the Revenue Department does not match with the actual ground reality, raising suspicions amongst the villagers whether the government and the Railways have plans to acquire additional land to lay another railway track passing through the village. “We have assembled today to raise our objection to the manner in which the Land Revenue Department is going about in preparing the land records. The villagers have invited the MLA as well as the panchayat members since the Railways have put its name in the Form I&XIV. Local villagers do not know that their names have been removed from the Form I&XIV and that the Railways has put its own name. This has raised eyebrows amongst the villagers,” Kevin said.

Another villager said their ancestors and forefathers had given land for the West Indian Portuguese railway to lay the track. “Since then, stone had been erected along the tracks. The South Western Railway was maintaining the stones by painting the same, indicating it was railway property. But, it is sad to note that these are slowly doing a disappearance act. Additional stones are coming, but at different places. This has raised questions whether the Railways has plans to acquire additional land to lay another track,” the villager added.

Saying that Seraulim villagers have been facing hardships due to the frequent movement of trains, they pointed out that the villagers are suffering from diseases due to the transportation of coal along the SWR line.

They also took strong exception to the new tendency of trains leaving the Margao railway station and making halts along the Seraulim stretch for the trains to pass. “It is sad that while the Railways has been engaged in track doubling projects, no underpass or safe corridor is put in place along the stretch for the movement of cattle,” the villagers said, as they recalled how the Railways had felled hundreds of tress along the railway tracks sans mandatory permission from the Forest Department.

Taking up cudgels for the beleaguered villagers, Benaulim MLA Venzy warned the government to stay away from any plan to lay another railway track along Seraulim village.