Team Herald
VASCO: The opposition to the double-tracking project in Velsao-Pale-Issorcim has intensified, with villagers raising concerns about the South Western Railway (SWR) being named as a co-owner in land records for several survey numbers in the area.
Former panchayat member Roquezinho D’Souza revealed that after villagers alerted him to the issue, he verified the land records and confirmed their claims. He warned that this development could significantly impact the ongoing protests against the double-tracking works.D’Souza explained that the inclusion of SWR’s name in Form 1 & 14 effectively makes the railway co-owner of these lands, potentially complicating future land use. “Villagers would need to obtain NOCs or permissions from SWR for any work on their own lands,” he said.
He also questioned the inclusion of SWR’s name in survey number 18/1 at Mollo, alleging that the railways lacked the necessary documentation to justify its claim. “This appears to be a case of land grabbing,” he asserted, urging villagers to escalate the matter to government authorities and demand the removal of SWR’s name from the records.
The issue has further fueled resistance against the double-tracking project, which has faced persistent opposition from local communities concerned about its environmental and social impacts. Villagers are now mobilising to seek clarity and action from the authorities regarding the land records.