Neeleswaram: About 500 volunteers descended on the Neeleswaram railway station while the rest of the town quietly enjoyed a holiday on Sunday. A collective led by former students of the nearby Raja’s Higher Secondary School cleared the path to the railway station which had been lost in a thick growth.
The collective of students, merchants and other residents have also drawn up the blueprint for a three-phase renovation program for the railway station. The plan will be sent to the railway minister with a mass petition.
The 1987-88 SSLC batch had been preparing the groundwork for weeks. They took out a roadshow and organized a people’s parliament last week to turn the spotlight on the neglected railway station frequented by many office-goers and students of the area.
They drew support from the merchants’ associations, residents associations, NCC and NSS units from the Padannakkad Nehru College, Lions Clubs of Neeleswaram Town and Neeleswaram North, Rotary Club, the Neeleswaram Development Association and a WhatsApp group named ‘Nammude Neeleswaram’ apart from social workers and cultural association representatives.
Dr V Sureshan inaugurated the cleanup of the railway station and the 26 acres of land adjoining it. Nandakumar Koroth presided over the function, which was attended by K V Sunil Rj, Railway Passengers’ Association secretary N Sadasivan, P V Sudheer Kumar, NSS program officers P V Jisha and N T Supriya.
The collective is also drumming up support for its endeavor by collecting signatures. “Signature trees” have been set up at various points of the town. A large canvas has been draped over a banyan tree to get a mass petition ready. The petition with all the signs will be send to the railway ministry.
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