MARGAO
Velsao villagers on Wednesday raised concerns about track doubling work in their village, saying land issues remain unresolved by the Land Survey Office.
The villagers, who attended a hearing at the Land Survey Office in Margao, pointed out that work on the project is progressing rapidly, even though the South Western Railway and the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd have yet to submit ownership documents for the land in question.
Olencio Simoes questioned why the track doubling project is being carried out in Cansaulim, Velsao, Arossim, and Pale when land ownership disputes are still pending in court.
“This is perhaps the first time in recent history that the railways are pushing ahead with a track doubling project while land ownership is still disputed. The landowners have submitted their documents to the Land Surveyor, but the railways have not yet provided proof of their ownership,” he said.
He also raised concerns about the missing cadastral plan for Velsao village, suspecting foul play by vested interests. “Have you ever heard of construction being carried out when land ownership is still unsettled? This is exactly what’s happening in Velsao, where the railways are filling land, burying rivulets, and blocking traditional pathways. It is strange that authorities, including the South Goa District Collector, taluka Mamlatdar, and TCP Department officials, remain silent on the issue,” he added.
Calling for an immediate stop-work order, Olencio warned that residents would be forced to take strong action against officials allowing the work to continue without proper land titles.
“The RVNL is acting like a state within a state. If government departments like the Land Survey Office have no power, then it’s better to shut them down,” he said.
