MARGAO: Cuncolim MLA Clafasio Dias held a meeting with panchayat members and villagers of Guirdolim and Chandor to discuss the issue of rail underpass at the present level crossing across the South Western Railway track.
He disclosed that at the special meeting convened by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar along with all the officials concerned, the chief minister had agreed to construct both the underpass at the existing level-crossing and a railway overbridge, connecting Sao Jose de Areal to Chandor.
Officials suggested constructing the rail overbridge first so that people were not inconvenienced during the construction of the underpass, which would result in closing the road, Clafasio said.
“After the assembly session is over, I shall call officials to the village and we can discuss the matter threadbare with them,” he said, revealing that the chief minister had agreed to his request to depute officials to explain the plans to the villagers. The panchayat members also raised some concerns, asking if fire tender could pass through the underpass, while others insisted that even if the work on the overbridge commenced first, it would be mandatory for the government to write to the South Western Railways that the state would bear 50 per cent of the cost of constructing the underpass.
Clafasio assured everybody that he was determined to solve the issue and pointed out that this was the first point he raised in the Assembly and was assured by the chief minister.
It may be recalled that soon after getting elected as MLA, Clafasio had led a protest march to Chandor Railway Station, where a memorandum demanding the underpass at the existing level crossing be constructed.
