Surat : Farmers Stop Mysterious Railway Survey at Vinjolia Amid Confusion and Tension

SURAT : A tense situation unfolded in Vinjolia village near Ena in Palsana taluka of Surat district after unidentified individuals carrying out a preliminary railway goods train line survey were stopped by local farmers, who raised serious concerns over transparency, documentation and official communication.

The controversy began when several unknown persons arrived in a rickshaw and began marking fields as part of what appeared to be a survey activity. Locals, suspicious of the sudden activity, immediately alerted Surat District Farmers’ Society President Parimal Patel.

Farmers at the site questioned the legitimacy of the work and demanded official identification and documents from the survey team. However, communication barriers added to the confusion, as the personnel reportedly did not understand Gujarati or Hindi, making it difficult to clarify the purpose of their visit.

“They could not provide proper documents or explain the purpose of the survey. We immediately asked them to stop the work,” said Parimal Patel, who coordinated with farmers over the phone before reaching the site.

Following the intervention, the survey work was halted, and the individuals left the area. However, tensions escalated again when a police convoy later arrived at the location, prompting renewed concern among villagers. Police reportedly stated that the activity was a preliminary survey for a Railway Department goods train project.

Farmers and local leaders have questioned why such an important survey was being conducted without prior intimation to the district administration or local authorities. “If even the district administration is not informed, how can farmers trust that the process is transparent?” Patel asked.

He further stated that under the broader railway connectivity plan linking Tapi district to Navsari via Surat, preliminary groundwork is being carried out in multiple areas, including Palsana taluka. However, he stressed that no official public notification or detailed project briefing has been shared with affected villagers.

Farmers are now demanding complete transparency and written communication from authorities before any further survey or land-related activity is conducted. They have also urged that future field operations must involve proper identification, local language communication, and coordination with district officials to avoid panic and misunderstandings.