Title - Foot bridge demand blockade stalls trains

GUWAHATI: Activists of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), along with local residents, blocked train movement for over one and a half hours on Thursday noon demanding the construction of a foot bridge over the Bamunimaidam railway level crossing.

The protesters, comprising a number of students, also blocked movement of other vehicles on the road connecting Gitanagar and Bamunimaidam area near the railway level crossing between 12 noon and 1.30 pm.

The protesters said because of the absence of a foot bridge over the rail tracks in thickly populated Bamunimaidam area in eastern parts of the city, commuters, especially students, are forced to waste precious time everyday. "It has been a long pending demand of AASU that a foot bridge be constructed over the railway level crossing at Bamunimaidam. We have four high schools and several important government offices, including the office of the Board of Secondary Education, Assam, here at Bamunimaidam," said Faruk Ahmed, the adviser of the Bamunimaidam unit of the AASU.

He added, "Commuters often find the rail gate closed on their way to schools and offices. The state government and the railway authorities should take up immediate steps to build a foot bridge here."