Railways have said that the level-crossing gate near All Saints' College was provided on deposit terms exclusively for the college according to an agreement in 1967, and the college is bound to deposit the initial cost of construction and bear the annual recurring maintenance and operational charges.
In a statement here, Railways said the college had paid the maintenance charges and operations charges till 1994-95 but stopped them. A petition was filed before the High Court by the college for waiver of recurring charges in 2000. The apex court ruled that the college should submit a petition before the Chairman of the Railway Board.
Subsequently, the Chairman of the Railway Board passed a directive in 2007 that there existed no provision to provide financial relief to the party concerned.
He also rejected the request of the college authorities for waiver of the recurring maintenance and operational charges.
Railways said that despite taking up the issue with the college management, the dues had not been remitted since 1995. The dues accrue to over Rs.40 lakh.
The statement by Railways comes in the wake of the visit by Shashi Tharoor, MP, and Divisional Railway Manager Rajesh Agrawal to the level-crossing gate on Thursday following demands to open it in view of the hardship to the students and lack of adequate warning signals.
