Land demarcation for Davorlim education complex begins

MARGAO: Work on the controversial Educational Hub at Davorlim, Navelim, commenced on Wednesday with the Education Department along with the inspector of Survey and Land Records beginning the formalities of demarcation of the land. 

Amidst heavy police deployment at the site, the authorities began the demarcation of land which is already in possession of the education department. 

It is pertinent to note that Davorlim villagers have vowed to fight for the village’s only remaining Comunidade land by strongly opposing the proposed educational hub in the village and in the past have threatened to intensify their agitation. 

In order to avoid any untoward incident, officials of the education department, and survey and land records department were accompanied by Salcete Mamlatdar Dhiren Banaulikar, and Maina-Curtorim Police Inspector at the site, at the time of demarcation of the land. 

The proposed educational hub will bring all Margao-based schools into one complex on the outskirts of the city in Davorlim village. However, the project has seen many delays with the villagers strongly opposing the project citing that the village lacks basic infrastructure development, including healthcare. 

Records show that this educational hub is proposed on land measuring 1.15 lakh square metres, on the lines of the Cujira education complex at Bambolim, and is aimed to decongest the commercial capital, especially during peak hours. 

“The land is already in possession of the education department and now there are plans to build the compound wall so that the said land does not encroach,” said Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar. The Mamlatdar said he was at the site to ensure that there were no law and order problems. 

The said land was initially acquired by the South Goa District Collector for a public utility purpose during the tenure of Digambar Kamat as chief minister. 

In 2017, Davorlim villagers strongly opposed the project at the gram sabha meeting and claimed that the village stands neglected on the infrastructure front. Villagers had informed that their opposition was not to the educational hub, however, it was their demand that the infrastructural development of the village is simultaneously carried out.