Arossim, Utorda locals want railway bypass scrapped
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
CORTALIM, SEPT 5
Anxious residents of Arossim-Cansaulim and Utorda have demanded that the proposed Konkan Railway’s Majorda-Cansaulim bypass linking South Western Railway line be scrapped as it was neither beneficial to the locals nor Goans at large.
The residents who met Cortalim MLA and Deputy Speaker Mauvin Godinho’s PA Ligorio Monteiro at his Upas Nagar office made it clear that they were totally opposed to the proposed by-pass.
What is the cause of worry to the residents is that the proposed by-pass was clearly depicted on the draft Regional Plan 2021.
Vivian Almeida, a senior citizen of Utorda, showed the report that appeared in local magazine Goa Today in October 2009, which stated: “Mormugao Port Trust is spending Rs 52 crore to revamp its internal rail network and South Western Railway had finalized the project for doubling the Hospet-Vasco line which would serve Karnataka hinterland. The Konkan Railway’s Cansaulim-Majorda bypass in Goa will give the KRC line access to Vasco and serve port connectivity to Maharashtra and possibly Gujarat as well,” was quoted as saying by n high ranking MPT official.
Putting forth their grievances, the residents wondered as to what, was the need for the pass and what interest it would serve as far as Goans were concerned and whether Goans should pay a price for the people of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat when they already have several ports in their state.
It may be recalled that the Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim gram sabha in November 2009, had objected to the railway line saying that it would further subdivide Arossim and Cansaulim villages and virtually turn their villages into a railway yard.
The villagers had asserted that there was no need for an additional railway line since there was already an existing railway junction at Majorda where the trains could change tracks. The members had also produced a panchayat copy resolution way back in 1999 opposing the railway line and requested the Sarpanch to take a similar initiative and get the railway line removed from the draft ODP.
Almeida recalled that in early 1990’s there was such a proposal which was later shelved after the South Western Railway was converted from meter gauge to broad gauge. “There were also several resolutions adopted against the proposal and Mauvin Godinho who was also the MLA at that time had voiced his opposition several times,” Almeida said and hoped that Godinho would also raise his voice against the line now also.
Assuring the MLA’s help, Monteiro said he would place before Godinho their grievances after he recovers from ailment and expressed confidence that everything would be done to get their grievances redressed.
On the demand for a joint meeting with the high level officials of MPT, South Central Railway and Konkan Railway, Monteiro said these and other problems would be placed before Godinho and further action would be initiated soon.
