Guirdolim favours rail underpass, but Chandor takes umbrage

MARGAO: Even as the extraordinary gram sabha of Guirdolim unanimously resolved to have a rail underpass at the present level crossing across the South Western Railway track in their village, neighbouring Chandor-Cavorim gram sabha took umbrage at being kept out of the entire process of deciding the matter.

Chandor-Cavorim villagers asked the sarpanch to call for a joint meeting or a gram sabha with the villagers of Guirdolim along with local MLA Clafasio Dias and also MLA Nilesh Cabral of neighbouring Curchorem to discuss the matter thoroughly.

It may be recalled that on August 16 Clafasio along with Nilesh and officials of the Indian railways descended on Guirdolim to look at the level crossing and discuss how it could be replaced. While the entire Guirdolim panchayat with the exception of two members were present, only two members of Chandor-Cavorim panchayat were present.

Chandor Cavorim Sarpanch Celina Coelho e Furtado informed the gram sabha on Sunday that she was telephonically informed in the morning by the MLA’s PA to be present at the site at 10.30 am and only two members of the panchayat could be present.

“I was not told why to be present but only asked to be present and since I had a site inspection fixed at that time I could not be present,” she said. Villagers took umbrage that they were not taken into confidence by the MLA over such an important matter and therefore asked the sarpanch to call for a meeting with both the MLAs as the underpass affects them too since it is aimed at connecting the two villages.

Meanwhile, the extraordinary gram sabha at Guirdolim resolved to have an underpass that will be 3 mts in height and said they would face the water logging if it happens due to the increased depth of the underpass. It may be recalled that Railways engineers had stated that the height of the underpass would have to be 2.2 mts to avoid being flooded due to the high water table in the area.

The Guirdolim villagers also demanded that work on the underpass and the over head bridge about a km away should begin simultaneously and asserted that they would not wait for one to be completed before commencing work on the other.

At Chandor Cavorim the villagers were of the opinion that an over bridge on the lines of the one constructed at Margao was possible and even volunteered to get one designed and produced to the Railway authorities but said all these matter had to be discussed with the MLAs first.