To the shock of locals from Cansaulim, who are already facing issues just crossing the railway tracks to travel to the market or school, a huge amount of mud and debris has been dumped in front of their homes by the railway authorities for the doubling of railway track.
For perspective, around 300-odd families live in Cansaulim and their lives have been permanently affected by the existing SWR track that is located around 70 metre or so from their houses. When the train speeds by their houses at night, the walls of their heritage homes vibrate. The noise and the vibration are so bad that it gives these families sleepless nights. It is to be noted that only coal-laden trucks and cargo trains move on these tracks and these trains usually halt in Cansaulim for hours. Considered to be the unofficial parking area for these trains, locals are forced to bend and walk under these trains to get to the other side of the track.
“We have no choice. For decades now we have been asking for an underpass or a subway. People have lost their lives and suffered injuries while crossing the tracks under these parked trains. We have been demanding that the Railways put the infrastructure in place to help the locals but instead we have to deal with new developments from their side, which will make our lives more difficult” said a group of families who live by the tracks.
They refer to the present issue where work is set to be undertaken near the tracks for which the mud and debris have been dumped in front of their houses. The locals protested about this and even got the new Independent Cortalim MLA Antonio Vas to inspect the area and are hopeful that for the time being, no further work is carried out in this area.
They fear that the development work will block the road in front of their houses which includes that of the former Sarpanch Blanche Barros Pereira. This road is the only access the locals have that connects them to other parts of the village. Furthermore, their biggest worry is that the mud that has been dumped will block the storm water drain, which is again the only path for water in the area to flow out.
“The terrain of the land is such that water flows from the houses to the stormwater drain near the track. If this is blocked, then the locals will face a big issue as there is bound to be flooding in the area. What is happening here is just wrong. Are we second class citizens that are to be treated here like this,” said Orville Dourado Rodrigues, founder member of Goencho Ekvott. He also demanded that the local panchayat body take action.
Locals pointed out that the area, which is a low-lying area, was already flooded during the period when there were heavy rains last year. They have demanded that the Railway authorities clear the dumped mud before this year’s monsoon sets in to avoid any flooding related incident.
“The Railways has started work here that is barely ten centimeters from the road. The road is public property and all the houses here have setbacks from the road. Do the rules only apply for the locals and the Railway authorities can do what they want without getting permissions for the same. The locals have been suffering in this area for long,” said Olencio Simoes, who had joined the people from Cansaulim who were protesting this issue.
The families who live here have vowed to oppose any plans for the Railways to carry out any expansion work here and reiterated their opposition to the double tracking project.
