Team Goemkarponn
VELSAO: Concerned over the potential loss of a long-used traditional pathway, residents of Velsao on Tuesday morning met with a Railway official to request that access through the area not be blocked by newly erected barricades.
The issue was first brought to the attention of social worker Roquezinho D’Souza, who then escalated it to Cortalim MLA Anton Vas. Vas visited the site on Tuesday morning to inspect the situation and directed D’Souza to take up the matter with Railway authorities.
Following the meeting, D’Souza said the Railways had agreed to keep a portion of the area open to allow local residents to continue using the path. “The Railways have begun barricading on both sides of the railway tracks, which would cut off the traditional route used by villagers for decades. This path connects many houses on the other side of the tracks to the village panchayat, market, and church,” he said.
D’Souza also raised concerns about mud dumped by the Railways in the vicinity, which could clog drains during the monsoon. “With rains already beginning, the mud needs to be cleared urgently to prevent flooding. If not addressed, water mixed with mud could enter houses and create muck on the pathway, causing inconvenience, especially to senior citizens who regularly use this route,” he added.
The Railways have reportedly assured that both issues—the access route and drainage clearance—will be addressed promptly.
