MARGAO
Sao Jose de Areal village witnessed an uproar over the construction activity undertaken by the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd near the Nessai railway gate with villagers and panchayat saying the work is being carried out without permissions from the local body.
Officials of the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, however, pointed out that the Railways can take up construction work without obtaining permissions from the local panchayat body under the Railways Act.
Villagers led by Freddy Travasso, however, claimed that the Railways have not even acquired the land in question near the Nessai railway crossing, further claiming that the land owner has not disposed of his land to the Railways.
The joint inspection fixed by the Sao Jose de Areal village panchayat generated much heat at the Nessai railway crossing when villagers led by Freddy Travasso questioned the railway officials how the Railways have undertaken the work without the panchayat permission.
Section official of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, Sachin Kumar replied to Sarpanch Vincy Mascarenhas that the Railways need not obtain permission from the panchayat or local body. In fact, he tried to show a copy of the Railways Act to prove his point to the Sarpanch and the villagers, but did not find any takers.
He later told the media that the work is being carried out under the Railways Act, adding that the Railways has initiated the process to acquire the land in question. “The Railways can undertake construction after obtaining permission from the competent authority. We have started the work since the permission has come from the competent authority,” he said, while asserting that the Railways does not require permission from the local body.
Villager Freddy Travasso, however, maintained that the Railways has started work at the Nessai railway crossing without panchayat permission and without acquiring the land in question. “The railway official claimed the Railways has initiated the process to acquire the land in 2020. My question to the officials is simple, has the Railways acquired the land in their possession to start the construction activity,” Freddy questioned.
Freddy and other villagers demanded that all ongoing work on the construction activity should stop forthwith till the land is acquired and necessary permissions are obtaining from the local body. He reminded that the Railways are mandated to carry out only safety work in times of pandemic, wondering how the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd can rush with work without the necessary permissions.
Sarpanch Vincy Mascarenhas said the inspection was fixed by the panchayat after receiving complaints from the villagers. “When we asked the railway officials for the permission, they claimed they are not required to obtain permissions from the local body under the Railways Act. We have taken measurements of the constructions undertaken by the Railways to set in motion the process against the Railways,” he said.
The Sarpanch further pointed out that the panchayat would write to the Director of Panchayats as well as the Salcete Block Development Officer to guide the body how to go about handling the matter. “When I called up the BDO, I have been told to issue a stop work order on the Railways to facilitate the Railways to give their say in the matter,” Vincy added.
