Track doubling not to proceed beyond Majorda
MARGAO
Was the reported assurance handed out by senior railway officials to Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha that track doubling project would not proceed beyond Majorda was just an attempt to mollify the MLA?
Senior Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd Shashi Bhushan Sahu was categorical in saying that the proposal for acquisition of land for the track doubling project from Margao to Vasco passing through Alina's constituency is pending before the district authorities and the State government.
Sahu made the statement after Sao Jose de Areal residents demanded to know why the rail doubling project passing through the village should not be scrapped when the rail authorities have promised to stop the project till Majorda village.
Railway officials in private said that they are not authorised to hand out any promises on the track doubling project when the project is the initiative of the Union government. "We are not authorised to give any promise whether the project would be stopped at certain points or not. It is a national project and only the Centre can take a call," remarked an official.
The officials pointed out that they have been approaching the probable land losers through the State government authorities for procurement of the land in question with rates fixed by the local authorities.
They, however, have not ruled out the possibility of the Indian Railways invoking provisions of the Railway Act to acquire the land in question in the event the ongoing land procurement exercise fails to serve the purpose.
