Rehabilitation: Cong men in custody for attempted rail roko

Chennai, July 21 (UNI) Police took into custody about 200 Congress workers for attempting to stage a rail roko agitation at suburban V O C Nagar railway station today.

North Chennai District Congress Secretary Royapuram Mano, who was among those taken into custody, said the agitation was organised to condemn the railway administration for its alleged failure to rehabilitate the displaced people along the railway line at New Washermenpet and Tondiarpet.

The residents of Bhojaraj Nagar and Indira Gandhi Nagar had already opposed the proposal of the Southern Railway to lay a third line between Chennai-Central and Gummidipoondi, fearing displacement.

The Tamil Nadu Government and Railways had announced that the new line would be laid only after completing the rehabilitation process.

A site was identified to construct 9,936 houses at Ezhil Nagar at Korukupet to rehabilitate the displaced people.

The Congress leader alleged that the railways was initiating steps to lay the new line before rehabilitating the residents.

UNI