MARGAO, March 31 -- Team Herald

A centuries-old Lenten procession has laid bare the devastating impact of railway construction on Velsao residents, with the traditional "Santos Passos" march forced to navigate on elevated road stretch that has left hundreds of homes landlocked.

The crisis stems from an ongoing dispute between villagers and South Western Railway (SWR), which has been dumping construction material along the tracks despite a panchayat stop-work order and pending court hearings at the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR). Previous reports revealed how SWR's actions have blocked access to 400-year-old heritage homes and destroyed pre-1890s stormwater drainage systems.

The South Western Railway's (SWR) dumping of mud,...