The villagers, while expressing their disappointment, said that nobody, including Prabhu, the ex-chief minister and the present CM, was sympathetic to their plight.
The reaction came after MP Narendra Sawaikar had announced that the Union Railway Ministry had cleared 5 key RoB projects in Utorda, Majorda, Seraulim, Comba and Davorlim in Salcete.
“We have been getting step-motherly treatment from the Central and State govts. Prabhu cleared the proposals for 5 key projects on the KR route, but never paid any attention to our two major pending demands, which are a foot over-bridge at Cansaulim and an ROB at level crossing 25 in Arossim. Sadly, nobody, including the ex-CM, the present CM, the Union Rly Minister and other State leaders, are sympathetic to the plight of the villagers of CAC,” said Alvaro da Costa, president CACCCF.
According to the villagers, the demand for a RoB at level crossing 25 in Arossim had been ignored for over a decade. They claimed that the leaders in power only made promises during elections, but did nothing to fulfill the same. Their major worry is the constant threat to the lives of people from Bhutem-Vaddo ward in Cansaulim, who are forced to either take a walking detour of over 45 minutes to get to their destination safely or risk crossing the railway tracks by crawling beneath the coaches of goods and passenger trains parked at the station.
“We had demanded the construction of a foot over-bridge at Cansaulim railway station as there is a serious safety hazard for all residents, particularly school children and senior citizens, trying to cross the railway tracks by crawling under the stationery rail wagons. However, numerous requests and complaints to the railway and State authorities have been ignored,” said Savio Corban, a resident of Cansaulim.
Local medical practitioner Dr Marconi Correia, who is also a member of CACCCF, has stated that not providing a pedestrian crossing to the locals, especially students and senior citizens, was a crime against humanity. He added the RoB could be taken up later, but a simple safe footbridge to cross the tracks should have been provided on priority.
