Team Herald
MARGAO:Residents of Cansaulim-Arossim have strongly opposed the proposed Rs 100 crore Road Over Bridge (RoB) project at Level Crossing 25 (LC25) in Arossim, warning of potentially disastrous consequences. Locals claim several heritage houses in the vicinity risk demolition and demand authorities rethink the project before causing irreversible damage to the area's historical fabric.
On Tuesday, Mormugao Deputy Collector Bhagwant Karmali, accompanied by railway officials and villagers, conducted a site inspection of the proposed area, which reportedly passes through private properties. The Railways have proposed to construct a flyover with a width of 10.5m commencing at Mathany Saldanha circle at Cansaulim and landing at Dr. Proto Barbosa Road at Arossim.
The project includes slip roads with widths of 15m to 20m on both ends of the approach roads, with earthen embankments measuring 163m in length at Cansaulim and 67m at Arossim. These slip roads would significantly impact compounds and, in some cases, even encroach upon entrance steps and balconies of heritage houses along both sides of the existing road.
Residents expressed widespread resentment, arguing that beyond causing noise, dust, and vibrations in thickly populated settlement areas, they would be effectively confined to their residences due to heavy traffic flow on the slip roads. Many believe this development would be detrimental to the future of the two adjoining villages.
In response to increased coal-laden rail rakes and resulting traffic congestion at LC25, NGO Goencho Ekvott has proposed an alternative solution: an underpass opposite the government primary school adjacent to Level Crossing 25. This underpass would be designed with sufficient width and height to accommodate emergency vehicles like fire brigades, ambulances, standard height buses, and other heavy vehicles, while also providing safe pedestrian crossings.
This alternative has gained acceptance among most residents in the area, including those who would be directly affected by the proposed underpass. When railway officials raised concerns about potential water logging, villagers dismissed these as unfounded, pointing to India's engineering capabilities that have successfully delivered undersea tunnels in challenging environments.
Founder Member of Goencho Ekvott, Orville Dourado Rodrigues, and local Congress leader Olencio Simoes guided villagers during the inspection, advocating for a solution that would minimize inconvenience to local residents while alleviating traffic jams and supporting the coastal tourism industry, which serves as the backbone of the local economy.
The Deputy Collector appeared receptive to these concerns and stated he would send appropriate recommendations from the administration to the railways. However it remains to be seen if the same will be accepted.