The Hindu : National : Row over level crossing closure ends

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Tuesday, Apr 19, 2011
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National

Row over level crossing closure ends

Special Correspondent

Photo:R. Ashok

Ducking the law:An old man trying to cross the Crawford level crossing that was closed on Monday for the construction of an overbridge.

TIRUCHI: The row over the closure of the railway level crossing at Crawford in the city to commence the work on the construction of road overbridge on the Tiruchi–Madurai national highway was amicably solved on Monday, with the Transport Department authorities directing all city buses to touch Edamalaipattipudur.

The Railway had closed the level crossing gate from 7 a.m. on Monday. While heavy vehicles, including city buses, were diverted via the bypass road, the movement of light vehicles and two-wheelers was diverted through the Anbu Nagar unmanned level crossing.

Various political parties, traders association and other organisations protested the closure of the level crossing without making proper alternative arrangements. They said that movement of heavy flow of vehicles via the unmanned level crossing was not in the interest of safety of the road users.

They also opposed the operation of city buses via bypass road, skipping Edamalaipattipudur.

A delegation of the associations presented a petition to the Collector in this regard on Friday. They had threatened to launch agitation if their demands were not conceded.

Meanwhile, on the direction of the District Collector, Mahesan Kasirajan, the delegation of local associations, held discussion with the Regional Transport Officer S. Balasubramanian on Monday. Officials of the State Transport Corporation and private bus operators also participated in the meeting.

It was decided in the meeting that all the city buses diverted on the bypass road from Mannapuram junction should take a diversion at Panjapur junction and touch Edamalaipattipudur. They will return to Panjapur junction to continue their onward journey. Following this, the local associations withdrew their agitation plan.

It may be recalled that the work on the construction of the ROB commenced in the first week of last month after the closure of the level crossing.

But the work was suspended within a few days following a hue and cry by the locals on the diversion of vehicles through unmanned level crossing.

The ROB will come up at a cost of Rs.28.58 crore, apart from the Railways contribution for the bridge portion over the level crossing.

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