Title - Trains stranded in Virudhunagar station

Snag in level crossing puts the brake

Following failure of the level-crossing, which in turn, led to a snag in the signal system, three trains were stranded here on Monday.Residents face a lot of difficulty whenever the railway gate on Ramamoorthy Road, linking the southern and northern part of the town, is closed for movement of trains. This gate has to be closed for over 60 times in a day to facilitate movement of passenger, express and goods trains.In other words, the gate remains closed for over seven hours in a day.People, who are in an urgency, have to take a circuitous route to reach their work spot.There will be a heavy traffic congestion in the lone other bridge when the entire stranded public turns to that route.Since the government hospital, several private hospitals and schools are located on the other side, patients thronging these medical institutions and students suffer a lot.School, polytechnic and college students, daily wage earners and office-goers intending to go to places like Pandian Nagar, Mallanginaru, Kariyapatti and Aruppukottai are the worst hit.Though efforts had been made to construct an overbridge in 2008 after a feasibility study, and funds to the tune of Rs. 38 crore had been sanctioned, cases were filed by a few in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court to scuttle the project.The case has been on though many political parties including the AIADMK, the CPI, the CPI(M) and the MDMK are in favour of it. That this is not enough, the level crossing also develops snag for at least three times in a month. Sometimes, the fault could not be set right for hours together.

On Monday, it developed a fault so that Guruvayur Express which reached the station by 5 p.m. could not proceed.

A little later, Madurai-Sengottai Passenger from north and Sengottai-Madurai Passenger from south were coming towards the Virudhunagar Junction.

All these trains were stopped to enable rectification of the fault.

But it could not be set right and an SOS was sent to the police who rushed to the spot, diverted the traffic and enabled movement of these trains.

But there was no end to the agony of residents.