DMK MP for reopening of IIT’s gate in Velachery

Thangapandian, who represents South Chennai Parliamentary constituency within which falls the institution, had also made a representation with Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal in this regard on January 10. She had earlier met the secretary of MHRD and Director of IIT-M following a visit to the gate along with local MLA and consultation with the area people. Krishna Gate on Velachery Gandhi Road was closed on the night of December 24 during the height of anti-CAA protests.

Claiming that the closure of the gate has put people, mainly students and staff of IIT, students of schools on IIT campus, parents and pensioners of IIT of through hardship, the South Chennai MP, in her representation to the Minister, said that about 200 families living in the vicinity of Velachery and Taramani and staff working in the institution have built their homes nearer to the institution to have access to their work places and children’s education and health needs. Since the institution does not have provision to provide accommodation to all their staff on campus, many staff have settled within the vicinity of the campus keeping in mind the entry gates available for them, she said, reasoning that access to the staff, students and their parents were through gates provided at three places in and around Velachery and Taramani that are separated by more than two kms.

Closure of the gate has put the children of two schools on IIT campus to great difficulty as they have to take 30 extra minutes to reach the school, she submitted, requesting the Minister to accede to the request of people and reopen Krishna Gate immediately.