Hundreds of residents of suburban Akathethara region in Palakkad conducted a symbolic funeral procession in the locality on Thursday to protest the alleged neglect on the part of State government and railway authorities in building a road overbridge across the busy railway gate there.
The overbridge was promised long back but the government and railway authorities failed to set aside sufficient funds for its construction. One of the local residents pretended as a badly injured man to be taken to the district hospital in Palakkad.
He was carried in an ambulance to the railway gate which was closed for about 15 minutes for passing of a goods train at around 10.30 a.m. Shouting slogans that the injured person died due to the delay at the railway gate, the entire gathering soon organised a funeral procession carrying the ‘dead body.’
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“We were assured of an overbridge long back. But no funds were earmarked so far. As a result, about 20 injured persons have lost their lives in the last five years because of the railway gate remaining closed,” said K Radhakrishnan, general secretary of the Akathethara Nadakkavu Overbridge Action Council.
According to council convener K Sivarajesh, successive governments in the State have cheated the local community by promising the crucial overbridge. So the unique protest was organised on a day when the State assembly was starting its budget session.
The action council said its demand would be raised in the budget session of the assembly by Leader of the Opposition V. S. Achuthanandan.
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