Rail roko staged at Perungalathur over closing gate for 2 hrs

CHENNAI: Angry commuters held a rail roko at Perungalathur railway station since the railway gate which was closed in the evening did not open for about 2 hours on Tuesday. The residents said the only entrance to Perungalathur from the GST Road is via the railway gate or the residents should travel a few km extra and enter Perungalathur via Vandalur. The residents complain that the Railway gate in Perungalathur is often closed during peak hours and they are helpless even in the case of an emergency. On Tuesday evening, the level crossing which was closed at 5 pm did not open until 6.30 pm. Soon the irked commuters staged a rail roko in the railway station by blocking the EMU from Chengalpattu-Beach and Beach-Chengalpattu. The Tambaram-Villupuram train was also halted near Irumbuliyur. Railway and Peerkankaranai police held peace talks and promised that the gate would not be closed for a long time thereafter. EMUs and Express trains from Egmore to Southern districts were delayed.