Hundreds of road users were put to hardships as the gate of the manned railway level crossing on Padil-Bajal Road near Mangalore Central Station got stuck three times on Monday.
The Councillor for Alape ward, Vijay Kumar Shetty, told The Hindu that each time the level crossing remained closed for 15 to 30 minutes, leading to long queue of vehicle on either side of the level crossing.
The gate was stuck at 10.30 a.m. when the vehicular traffic on the road was heavy, Mr. Shetty said. It happened again around noon and later at 2 p.m. He said the person manning the gate only told the angry people that a cable fault had led to the technical problem and the gate could not be opened. Mr. Shetty said he had to complain to a senior official at Mangalore Junction station. The gate was opened on the third occasion after the official intervened, he said. The haphazard parking of buses added to chaos, he added.
The level crossing has been identified as one of the busiest and a road under bridge has been planned to ease the woes of road users. But the work has not taken off though the City Corporation has deposited its share of the project cost with the Railways.
A Railway official from Palakkad, the headquarters of the Division, said that the people are facing problem at the level crossing had come to the notice of the Division and it was being addressed.
