Residents of over 10 villages in and around Lalapet and traders organised a protest against the construction of a wall by BHEL in Lalapet.
Several traders participated in the protest, organised at Savadi Thidal in Lalapet, and many shops remained shut in support of the agitation against the BHEL administration.
They charged that the BHEL administration had started constructing a wall along the road, connecting villages like Mukundarayapuram, Thakkarpalayam, Ekambaranallur, Seekarajapuram, Kandharikuppam, Marudhampakkam, Kondakuppam, Palleri and Vasur.
Roads, including the Lalapet-Mukundarayapuram Road and the Seekarajapuram-Thiruvalam Link Road, have been affected by the construction, they added. The roads have been in use for decades, said L.C. Mani, one of the protesters.
“We have highlighted our grievances to the BHEL administration and the District Collector. The BHEL management is carrying out the construction as they own the road. We organised the demonstration to draw the attention of the BHEL management and the district administration to the issue. If they do not stop their plan, we would have no option but to intensify our protests,” said Mr. Mani.
The police arrested about 60 persons and lodged them in a marriage hall. They were let off in the evening. Traffic was affected on the Ranipet-Ponnai Road, for over two hours.
