Team Herald
MARGAO: A centuries-old Lenten procession has laid bare the devastating impact of railway construction on Velsao residents, with the traditional “Santos Passos” march forced to navigate on elevated road stretch that has left hundreds of homes landlocked.
The crisis stems from an ongoing dispute between villagers and South Western Railway (SWR), which has been dumping construction material along the tracks despite a panchayat stop-work order and pending court hearings at the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR). Previous reports revealed how SWR’s actions have blocked access to 400-year-old heritage homes and destroyed pre-1890s stormwater drainage systems.
The South Western Railway’s (SWR) dumping of mud, construction debris, and industrial waste has destroyed the village’s ancestral Right of Way (ROW) - a vital access path used for generations. “For over a century, this route served our community,” said Orville Dourado Rodrigues, founder of Goencho Ekvott. “Now we must fight to protect what our ancestors preserved.”
The raised roadbed, standing up to 9 metres higher than original ground level in some areas, has severed access to homes on the western side of the tracks. Emergency vehicles - including ambulances, fire trucks, and even mobile mortuary vans - can no longer reach properties. Local salt vendors and LPG suppliers have also lost their traditional delivery routes.
Rodrigues warned of impending disaster: “This same pathway serves as a critical stormwater drain during monsoon, channelling floodwaters toward River Sal tributaries in Pale village. The railway’s reckless filling has created a ticking time bomb for both villages.”
Residents watched helplessly as this year’s Santos Passos procession wound through what has become a symbol of their displacement - the elevated road towering over their now-inaccessible gateways. “Our children can’t even walk to school safely anymore,” said one villager, pointing to the steep, unstable slopes created by the construction.
With monsoon clouds gathering, Velsao’s families face dual threats - complete isolation from essential services and potential flooding from the compromised drainage system, all while their legal battle against SWR continues. The next hearing at the ISLR court is scheduled for April 15, where villagers hope to challenge SWR’s controversial land claims.