A decade later, BJP leaders reignite push for long-stalled Davorlim flyover project

Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Tanavade along with Navelim BJP MLA Ulhas Tuenkar and BJP-backed Davorlim Sarpanch Saiesh Rajadyax crossing the Davorlim railway crossing during an inspection. The Davorlim railway crossing is shut down around 82 times in a day for

Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar

MARGAO
Can the double engine government in Goa and at the Centre resolve the decade-old issue of flyover at the railway crossing at Davorlim – a village which is ruled by the BJP and which comes under Navelim constituency represented by BJP MLA Ulhas Tuenkar?

Close to a decade after former Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had laid the foundation stone for the flyover at the Davorlim railway crossing, Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Tanavade descended at the railway crossing with Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar and Davorlim Sarpanch Saiesh Rajadyax in tow for an inspection. Tanavade’s decision to inspect the railway crossing to see the feasibility of the flyover comes against the backdrop of the Rajya Sabha MP highlighting the issue in Parliament at the recently concluded session.

A bare inspection of the railway crossing prompted the Rajya Sabha MP to remark that the project is not that easy as it looked to be as the flyover would need land for the construction and approach roads on both sides of the crossing.

Given the tedious nature of the land acquisition process, Tanavade has assured that he would take up the matter with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, further assuring that the Chief Minister would be roped in for an inspection of the railway crossing before initiating the land acquisition process.

“When the Navelim MLA drew my attention to the flyover at the Davorlim railway crossing, I spoke in the Rajya Sabha and the need for a flyover. After my inspection, I have realised that the flyover is a dire need at the crossing,” he said.

Tanavade, however, hastened to add that given that the issue involves land acquisition process, the Goa government’s help, assistance and initiative will be needed to take the project to its logical conclusion. 

“I will speak to the Chief Minister along with Navelim MLA since the government will have to acquire land on both sides of the railway crossing. The help of the local government is needed to execute the flyover project,” he said.

None other than the Rajya Sabha MP knows for sure that the responsibility of land acquisition falls in the domain of the Goa government even assuming the Centre and the Railways are willing to fund the flyover project. “We will sit with the Chief Minister. If the need arises, the Chief Minister will be brought on the site for an inspection,” he added.

Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar drew attention of the Rajya Sabha MP that the Davorlim railway crossing is shut down for vehicular traffic around 82 times a day for the passage of trains running on the Konkan Railway and South Western Railway. “The Davorlim road is the shortest route to the adjoining schools for the people of Davorlim. A flyover will shorten the distance to Rawanfond, Quepem and other areas,” he added.

Davorlim Sarpanch Saiesh Rajadyax made a fervent plea to the Rajya Sabha MP to take the long-pending flyover project to its logical conclusion.

Flyover stalled due to land hurdles; awaits govt action

MARGAO: Will the incumbent double engine government in Goa and in Delhi ensure that the long-pending Davorlim flyover project at the railway crossing see the light of day when a similar move close to a decade ago by the previous double engine government had come a cropper?

Former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu had laid the foundation stone for the Davorlim railway crossing around 2016 when the BJP was ruling in Goa as well as in Delhi. That time round, Navelim was represented by Independent MLA Avertano Furtado, who was a Minister in the BJP-led government in Goa.

In fact, it was the initiative of then Navelim MLA Avertano Furtado that the Goa government take up the project with the Railways for execution of the flyover project. The foundation stone was laid virtually by then Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, but the project soon hit a dead end over land issues.

Konkan Railway Corporation senior official, Baban Ghatge recalled that the Railways had agreed to execute the flyover, but the project could not move forward simply because there was no land acquired to build the flyover on both sides of the crossing. “Since the land acquisition process falls in the jurisdiction of the local State government, the project could not see the light of day because the land was not available,” he said.