Team Herald
MARGAO: In a significant relief for Velsao locals, the South Goa Collector issued a stop work order halting the illegal land filling and dumping of construction materials at Primeiro Vaddo, Velsao.
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The order, signed by South Goa Deputy Collector Velton Tellis, was issued after the Flying Squad received complaints about unapproved land filling in the area. A site inspection confirmed that large-scale dumping was taking place adjacent to survey numbers 60/2, 60/4, 59/1-A, 58/8-A, 58/10, and 58/11 without the necessary approvals or permissions. The order also mentioned that no notice board displaying authorisation from the Town and Country Planning Department (TCP) was found at the site, nor were any permits made available during the inspection, making the activity a prima facie violation of Section 17(A) of the TCP Act, 1974. The order further directed the Verna Police Inspector to stop the illegal activity immediately and instructs the Deputy Collector of Mormugao to ensure that no further violations occur. The Town Planner, Mormugao, has also been asked to take immediate action and report compliance to the authorities.
With the order in place, work at the site has temporarily stopped, bringing some relief to the affected residents. However, locals remain on edge, fearing that railway authorities may attempt to resume operations despite the official directive. Residents say they have been subjected to immense hardship over the past weeks, with truckloads of mud dumped directly in front of their homes, cutting them off from the rest of the village.
“It reached a point where we couldn’t even step out of our houses. Some of us had our vehicles trapped inside our compounds with no way to take them out,” said a resident. The situation was made worse by the alleged taunts from railway officials, who reportedly told villagers to “obtain a stop work order” if they wanted relief.
“Imagine being taunted like this in our own village. It was humiliating, especially for our senior citizens, who were left helpless in their own homes,” said another villager.
Goencho Ekvott (GE), which has been assisting the affected residents, described the stop work order as a much-needed intervention, but stressed that the fight was far from over. “The order has brought temporary relief, but the real question is—will the authorities ensure that it is enforced? We have seen how the contractors have tried to force their way through before, even after the village panchayat issued a similar order,” said Orville Dourado Rodrigues, GE founder.
He recalled how, following the panchayat’s stop work order, railway contractors had attempted to continue work using heavy machinery, only to be stopped by villagers who physically blocked the construction activity. “It was the unity of the people that made a difference. The villagers, along with activists, had to stand in front of the machines to prevent further damage,” he said.
Despite the temporary halt in work, residents say the damage done to their access routes remains a serious concern. The dumping of mud in the railway’s Right of Way (RoW) has virtually taken over the village road, leaving residents without access to their homes. “This is the only path we have used for generations. Our homes existed here long before the railway tracks were even built in the 1890s,” said a resident.
Even pedestrians are finding it difficult to navigate the area, with some saying it is nearly impossible to walk through, especially after dark.
The next hearing on the matter is scheduled at the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR) office in Margão on February 17, and residents are determined to keep up the pressure.
“We are not going to give up. We will leave no stone unturned to restore our Right of Way and ensure that the authorities take this issue seriously,” said an affected resident.
While the stop work order has provided some respite, locals insist that only full enforcement of the directive and restoration of access will bring a real resolution to their struggle.
RAIlWAys rejects Velsao PANCHAYAT’s stop work order
MARGAO: The Railways has firmly rejected the stop work order issued by the Velsao Panchayat against ongoing construction on the traditional access path, stating that local bodies have no legal authority to halt railway projects.
In a letter addressed to the Velsao-Pale-Issorcim Panchayat, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) clarified that, under Section 11 of the Railways Act, 1989, Indian Railways, as a Central government entity, does not require permission from panchayats or local bodies to execute infrastructure projects. Consequently, they argued that the stop work order issued on January 29 has no legal standing.
The letter further referenced a Railway Board notification from January 30, 2020, stating that it pertains to the commercial use of railway land and does not restrict the Railways’ ability to carry out infrastructure projects of national importance, such as double-tracking.
RVNL also acknowledged that the assignment of survey numbers for land under South Western Railway’s (SWR) possession is pending before the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR) in Margao. However, it noted that no stay order has been issued by any court to prevent construction at the site. To support its position, RVNL also attached a copy of a 2022 Bombay High Court ruling in a similar case.
Asserting that the railway work will continue, the letter advised the panchayat to withdraw the stop work order. It also suggested that any genuine concerns regarding access issues should be taken up with the district administration, assuring that SWR and RVNL remain open to discussions for practical solutions in coordination with the relevant authorities.
Railway officials have now sent copies to the District Collector, Additional Director of Panchayats, and local police on the matter, reinforcing their position to the panchayat that the project will proceed as planned.
The response comes amid rising tensions in Velsao, where the panchayat had ordered a halt to the work following complaints from residents about blocked roads, private properties, and waterways due to soil dumping.
