Make a call on setting up station in front of Vandalur Zoo: HC

The Madras High Court on Wednesday left it to the discretion of the Southern Railway to consider the feasibility of setting up a railway station in front of Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Otteri Extension of Vandalur Panchayat in Chengalpura district.

The court said that it is a right to decide where the railway station should be set up and where it should not be. Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamurthy said that a number of issues would have to be addressed in the decision process for setting up railway stations. In addition to assessing the local advantages and disadvantages, a survey can be conducted to find out the number of passengers using the station.

Therefore, barring such issues in the understanding of the railway authorities, the judges gave the petitioner the liberty to make a fresh representation in connection with the establishment of the railway station within four weeks and directed the General Manager of Southern Railway to consider the petition. Eight weeks thereafter. Instructions were issued disposing of a case filed by a local resident.

VG Thiruvengadam, 63, of Oteri Extension filed a PIL (PIL), claiming that the existing railway stations at Vandalur and Urappakkam are located two to three kilometers away from Prani Udyan and there was an imminent need to set up a railway station . For the benefit of the zoo visitors as well as the residents of Oteri Extension.

He said that the local body is ready to give 5,500 square meters of land free of cost to the railway to set up the station.