CHENNAI: Students of the University of Madras and Alagappa College of Technology (AC Tech) staged a protest on their campuses in Guindy on Monday, urging the Anna University management to stop the construction of a wall that would curb free movement along the three campuses.
They alleged that the wall would cut off access to basic amenities such as bank, canteen, health centre and playgrounds on the neighbouring campus. Earlier this year, seven science departments of the University of Madras vacated Alagappa College of Technology at the Guindy premises and moved to a new building constructed on the same campus, following a government order.
“Our campus does not have a separate canteen, ATM, health centre and playgrounds. We are dependent on the facilities available at Anna University,” said a post-graduate student from the University of Madras, adding that this wall would block their entry into the campus. “If the wall is completed, we will have to travel over two km and enter Anna University through the main entry,” the student said.
Students claimed that they were promised a gate, which would allow them into the Anna University campus. Speaking to Express, MK Surappa, Anna University Vice-Chancellor, said: “We will have a gate in the wall for students to move across. But vehicles can’t go through that gate. There was a lot of traffic on Anna University campus and we wanted to reduce that,” he said.