Students of Government Higher School, Irugur, staging a sit in demanding immediate opening of the railway subway on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: HANDOUT_E_MAIL more-in Students of the Government Higher Secondary School in Irugur boycotted classes for nearly two hours on Tuesday and staged a sit-in to demand the immediate opening of the railway subway near Irugur railway station. More than 500 students, backed by Students’ Federation of India, withdrew the protest only after officials from the Highways Department assured them that the subway would be opened in two months. Project cost According to the residents of the locality, works to construct the subway at a cost of ?2 crore was started five years ago following demand from the public and students. Around 80 % of the works were completed three years ago, they said. With the opening of the subway getting delayed, people and students from Irugur petitioned the District Collector and the Highways Department, but in vain. The student protesters told the mediapersons that they were forced to cross the railway track to reach the school and return home every day as there was no alternative route. The residents said that the student strength of the school drastically declined over the years as parents were concerned about the safety of their children while crossing the railway track. Many parents shifted their children to private schools too. Though the police asked the students and SFI leaders to withdraw the protest, they wanted assurance from the Highways Department regarding the opening of the subway. They withdrew the protest after an official from the Highways Department held talks with them and promised to finish the pending works in two months.

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