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In a shocking development, Konkan Railway Corporation
Limited Karwar Region has been violating all norms
while undertaking the assignment for the State
Government of Goa, in constructing three road over
bridges and one subway at Chainages kms 441/525
441/135. 440/713 and 440/262 of Margao City of Salcete
Taluka apparently to appease the Margao MLA Mr
Digamber Kamat.
Following frequent complaints of traffic congestion
due to closure of railway gate behind the Loyola High
School the BJP MLA now defected in the INC Mr Digamber
Kamat, Minister for Power Mining Art and Culture, came
out with the above ambitious plans (he has many the
voters argue but for any of his projects to
materialise it takes almost a decade - viz Ana Fonte
but not this one)
It is now understood that a proposal dated
10/11/2006 was submitted by the AE SD I Wk Div VI
PWD (R/W) for Land acquisition of 8590 m2 in various
Chalta Nos of PTS 234 254 261 237 Margao City to the
Senior Town Planner TCP Department to undertake this
task but the land owners were ignorant of the same and
apparently kept in the dark.
But one respectable widow Ms Inez Viegas from Pedda
PTS 237 Chalta No 52 picked up cudgels with the Sr
Regional Engineer, Mr Gopal Raju KRC Madgaon, SE SD I
WD VI (R/S) Mr Joaquim D Souza, MPDA Member Secretary
Mr A Diniz and the Inspector City Survey Office Margao
besides their own INC MLA Kamat in a daring show of
strenght when they obtained information in November,
2006 under the Right to Information Act 2005 and
learnt that one of the three road overbridge was
planned just five metres in front of the gate of their
ancestral house No:110 , Opp the Railway tracks near
the ICCI Bank Pedda Margao and they vowed to ensure
that the road over bridge near Chainage 440/713 is
shifted 10 metres away to render their property
admeasuring 709 m2 as an uneconomical holding.
But what they perhaps realised running about from the
above offices besides that of the CM, Acting
Collector Mr N Sawant Addln Collector Mr AGDS Pereira
that there was strong political influence to ensure
that the projects were undertaken before the next
elections.
It was also surprising to note that the PWD besides
not undertaking land acquisition proceedings did not
disclose details of the Property PTS 237 Chalta No
291 area 500 m2 in their site and location plan. This
property originally belonged to late Mr Ludovico
Andrade from Borda Margao and after his demise to his
three sons a) Fr Engo b) late Carlos Andrade and his
wife c) Antonio Andrade and his wife. The property
card under the Goa Revenue (City Survey )Rules 1969
does not reflect any of the names listed above but
showed that of one Mr Sikandar Makandar a resident of
Chandrawado Fatorda. When this was brought to the
notice of Inspector of City Survey Office Margao they
feigned ignorance of the same and instead hurriedly
issued a Form B in the name of Ms. Doris Texeira ex
Chairperson of Margao Municipal Council.
It is now learnt that vide a Deed of Sale dated
27.7.2004 the same was purchased by her from Mr
Sikander Makandar whose PoA is her husband Mr Joaquim
Texeira an ex MMC Councillor.
But the problem was far deep. They discovered that
though the then Sr Regional Engr KRCL Mr L Prakash
had issued an NOC on 23.9.2004 to Ms Texeira to
construct a "RESIDENTIAL PREMISE" ( she stated in her
application dated 13.9.2004 that " I do not have a
plot in any other place" ) and though MMC has issued
it construction licence A/92/06-07 dated 27.10.2006
???
and SGPDA and MPDA had also issued it
development permissions on 1.9.2006 ???and 14.1.2005
??( all these appear confusing ) niether the KRCL nor
the PWD failed to take note of this exclusion in the
Plans. The result the alignement of the road over
bridge was clearly diverted to have its location just
5 metres away from the residence of Ms Viegas.
Immediately she protested vide several letter
beginning with letter dated 8.12.2006, to Acting
Collector Sawant and others Addln Collector A G D S
Pereira till finally the Addln Collector issued notice
to CO Margao Municipal Council vide letter 16.1.2007
and vide letter 19.2.2007 CO MMC directed Sr Div
Engineer KRC to look into the request of Ms Viegas to
shift the pillars of the bridge to 10 metres.
There were other letters also sent to the Union
Minister of Railways and Director Works KRC at Belapur
and others as well.
Ms Viegas also met Mr Digamber Kamat on 9.1.2007 but
it was clear that though Mr Kamat agreed to the
illegalities he seemed to be concerned in getting the
projects completed at the earliest, apparently to
extract political mileage at the next hustings.
Knowing the plight of the widow this writer
spoke to Sr Regional Engineer KRCL Mr Gopal Raju at
his Official residence at KRCL Rawnafond Margao on
25th February, 2007 Question : Is the KRCL at fault
for executing works on a plan which does not reflect
PTS 237 Chalta Nos 291 for which it had granted NOC in
2004 --- Ans: see we have to save lives of people on
the rail lines and these small things should not
complicate matters; we are executing what state
government has asked as to do.
Thus while he agreed with the need for Land
acquisition proceedins he laid the blame on the PWD as
he stated that they were only undertaking a job on
behalf of the State Government.
When again asked about the non inclusion of the
property under survey No PTS 237 Chalta 291 500 m2
where KRC had issued an NOC for a residential bungalow
but now a Commercial project was under way viz TEXEIRA
PLAZA he tried to evade the question but insisted that
the work would go on. He also admitted that there was
political pressure but refused to go into the details.
Later that evening this writer met Wks Div VI
Engineer Mr J D Souza at his residence at Arossim
and sought clarifications on a) whether the land was
acquired by the Government to execute the works for
KRCL and if not was it a lapse on their part ---Ans:
It is to be ascertained from the Executive Engineer
who deals with this matter ....we have so many LA
matters it is difficult to tell off hand, but I think
that the procedure is now underway?
But despite all this the works were going on accept at
the pillar before the gate. There was no replies for
the letters coming from the Railways.
When this writer approached the Rajya Sabha MP Mr
Shantaram Naik and briefed him of the same at his
residence on 25th February, 2007 he admitted to the
lapse and illegality of non inclusion of PTS 237
Chalta Nos 291 but being a State project he preferred
to merely broach the issue with the State Government
and the Railways.
Meanwhile today with the presence of a pose of police
the KRC forcibly put concrete reinforcements into the
pits dug about 6.5 metres instead of 5 metres and
claim to have re-designed the road over bridge -- but
there is nothing on plan.
The cable television crew has covered up the entire
episode and is due for telecast. Meanwhile with the
Central Budget session underway, the KRCL has sent its
Regional Railway Manager to look into the whole
illegality. The Leader of the Opposition Mr Manohar
Parrikar has also asked for all the necessary
documents and may visit the site tommorrow.
It is therefore amply clear that MLA Margao Mr
Digamber Kamat is at fault for doing all these
illegalities according to Ms Viegas. She has now
threatened to undertake a fast unto death in front of
her residence in a pure Gandhian style.
When this writer tried to contact Mr Kamat he claime
to be away in Pune.
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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