Team Herald
MARGAO: The ongoing controversy over the double-tracking project in Goa, which has seen persistent protests in recent weeks, took another contentious turn on Monday as affected locals and members of the NGO Goencho Ekvott (GE) gathered for a long-awaited demarcation exercise in Mollo, Pale Village, which was eventually called off as several of the key authorities concerned failed to show up.
However, the demarcation, which has now been postponed to an undecided date, raised critical questions about how South Western Railways (SWR) could proceed with construction work despite lacking clear land ownership documents, casting doubt on the legality of their ongoing activities.
Intended to resolve contested ownership of Survey No. 18/1, the demarcation effort ended in frustration when only a junior surveyor from the Mamlatdar office and the talathi of Cansaulim appeared at the site. By late morning, it was announced that the exercise had been called off due to the unavailability of an updated survey plan, with officials only having access to an outdated version. This revelation prompted locals to question how South Western Railways (SWR) and its contractor, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), could be granted possession of the land without proper documentation.
It may be recalled that the demarcation was initially scheduled for November 12, but that too was postponed after concerns were raised by GE, the local panchayat, and affected villagers over the absence of accurate survey plans and essential surveying tools, such as the Total Station. Before that, in a meeting held on November 6 with the South Goa Collector, South Goa MP Capt Viriato Fernandes, GE representatives, affected villagers, and local panchayat members, assurances were given that no construction work would take place at Survey 18/1 until the land acquisition process was fully completed. Despite these assurances, reports of ongoing construction activities by SWR and RVNL on the disputed site, even on Monday, November 18, have led to renewed frustration and accusations of administrative collusion with railway authorities.
It is to be noted that on Monday, during the failed demarcation exercise, tensions escalated as the talathi attempted to contact the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR) and the Deputy Collector’s office. By 11.25 am, officials promised to reschedule the exercise after locating updated plans, but the lack of preparation and transparency further added to the simmering mistrust among residents.
Later that evening, GE and the affected landowners escalated their grievances by submitting letters of objection to the Collector. GE’s letter, signed by founder member Orville Dourado Rodrigues, detailed the events leading up to the failed demarcation attempt and highlighted what they described as an ongoing violation by RVNL and SWR. The letter accused the railway authorities of ‘criminal trespass’ and raised serious concerns about their continued construction activities despite a lack of legal clearance and clear directives against such work.
The letter reiterated the previous cancellation of the November 12 demarcation and emphasised the November 6 agreement to halt construction until legal formalities were completed, noting that SWR and RVNL had allegedly disregarded these terms.
In a separate letter, some of the affected residents, Valente, Menino, Edward, Vicente, and Jacinto Goes described their shock at discovering heavy construction machinery and a concrete retaining wall on their ancestral property. They reiterated their participation in the November 6 meeting, during which it was agreed that no work would commence without completing the legal process for land acquisition and demarcation. The landowners accused RVNL of forcefully entering their property and called for urgent action against the railway contractor and SWR for violations of their rights.
Monday’s failed demarcation exercise has raised fresh questions about government accountability and procedural adherence. The incident has added to the community’s growing suspicion that authorities are facilitating railway expansion at the expense of local rights. Speculation on Monday evening suggested that the Deputy Collector, who had intervened during last week’s demarcation attempt, could be facing a transfer—a move that locals fear might undermine ongoing efforts to resolve the land dispute fairly.
The letters submitted to the authorities demand a halt to all construction activities until ownership disputes are legally settled and call for strict action against SWR and RVNL for their actions. GE and the affected residents have vowed to continue their opposition to any further encroachments or development on the disputed land, arguing that their heritage and legal rights are at stake.
Questions were also raised as to how no action is being taken against the railways for these alleged violations at Mollo in at Survey No. 18/1.