An old rural road in Durlabhpur Poramadhail in South Dinajpur district became the centre of protests on Monday as residents and school students rallied against its potential closure.
The road that falls under Boaldar panchayat in the Balurghat block and predates the Eklakhi-Balurghat railway line construction, is set to be blocked by the railway authorities, who have planned to install iron fences along the tracks.
The decision has sparked public outrage, with villagers and students surrounding railway workers this afternoon, demanding a solution that ensures safe passage.
Anup Basak, a local, said: “But the railway authorities claim that there is no registered road or record of it. We had written to the SDO, the railway minister, and Sukanta Majumdar, our MP, requesting a railway crossing here. But no action has been taken so far.”
The protesters, who assembled at the site, called for either the construction of a railway crossing or an alternative route to keep the road accessible.
The road, they said, serves over 10 villages, providing crucial access to a rural hospital, the gram panchayat office and a high school among others.
“If the road is closed, we have to travel additional kilometres for our daily chores,” added Basak.
As hundreds gathered to voice their concerns, teams of the railway protection force and police from Balurghat GRP station reached the spot.
Seeing them, the protests intensified and more school students arrived at the spot.
“My grandfather died after being hit by a train, and my father was seriously injured. To prevent further fatalities, we are demanding a railway gate. Instead of addressing our concerns, the railway authorities are trying to close the road. We are protesting against this,” said Brishti Basak, a school student who joined the protests.
Later in the day, Surendra Kumar, the divisional railway manager of the Katihar division of Northeast Frontier Railway, said they would look into the issue.
“If the road is shut down, our protests will intensify,” said a resident.
