Mangalore: Railway officials attempt to close Adyar crossing, locals protest
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore, Jul 1: A day after a goods train hit a mini bus resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to five others including a child, railway officials on Monday July 1 visited the spot at Adyar in a bid to close the crossing.
The accident had occured when a goods train hit a mini bus that was crossing the railway track. The bus spun around and fell into a nearby ditch.
The railway crossing at Adyar is an unauthorized one, and demands to put up a gate at the crossing and have a sentinel on guard have echoed since 1986. However, the railway officials say that it is difficult to do so, and are hence reluctant to authorize the crossing and have sentries here. Moreover, the crossing is not officially listed in railway records.
When officials visited the spot on Monday at 6.30 am in a bid to close the crossing, locals gathered in large numbers and began a flash protest. They opposed the move of the railway officials, demanding that instead of the road being closed, they should authorize it and make it a regular crossing. They also demanded that humps be installed on the said road.
The protestors also threatened to stop the train from Bangalore, and did so for a few seconds when it arrived. However, on request of the railway officials they allowed the train to resume.
The locals also said that crossing the railway track was the easiest way to go to Neermarga and other places, and if the road is closed, it will cause incovenience to them.
Meanwhile, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel arrived and intervened in the matter. He got the work suspended temporarily and said that further action will be decided upon only after a meeting with the officials concerned. He also assured to discuss the proposed construction of underpass at the apot. The meeting will be held later in the day at Circuit House, he said. Moreover, the railway officials too will hold a meeting with the local panchayat on July 5 to discuss the issue.
Convinced by these words, the protest was called off and the railway officials too stopped the work.
Nearly 500 people from Neermarga, Adyarpadavu and Adyarkatte were part of the protest. Among those present were Sudhakar Adyar, vice-president of Adyar gram panchayat, Surendra Kambali, former president, Jayashil Adyantaya, Mahabala and others.