2 months ago
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The menace to boycott the April 23 Assembly predetermination by residents of Sundapur successful the Bargur Hills, nether the Anthiyur Assembly constituency, was withdrawn aft officials assured them that their request for a roadworthy would beryllium addressed aft the polls.
The distant hamlet, with 384 voters — including 195 men and 189 women — lies astir 6 km disconnected the Thamaraikarai–Bargur agelong connected the Anthiyur–Kollegal Road. Home to Lingayat families, Sundapur tin beryllium accessed lone by traversing a 3-km wood way done the Thamaraikarai Reserve Forest successful the Bargur Range. This is followed by different 3-km agelong nether the Bargur panchayat successful Anthiyur Union. The colony has ne'er had a tar road, but for a 1-km agelong laid by the panchayat, which is present severely damaged. In the lack of a motorable road, with protruding gravel making question difficult, residents person agelong been demanding a due road.
A roadworthy task sanctioned nether the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Phase III astatine an estimated outgo of ₹2.82 crore successful 2021 was subsequently cancelled. While astir 18,000 sqmt is required for the project, lone 8,100 sqmt is available. An further 10,000 sqmt has been identified arsenic compensatory land, and an exertion has been submitted online. The Centre has granted in-principle support for the diversion of 1.494 hectares of wood land, and last clearance is awaited.
A banner bearing the connection “Lay road, question votes” was displayed astatine the entranceway to the hamlet. Following a study titled “‘Lay road, question votes’: Sundapur villagers successful Bargur Hills request connectivity” published in The Hindu on March 29, 2026, predetermination officials from the Anthiyur constituency, on with constabulary personnel, visited the hamlet and held talks with residents connected 3 occasions. However, nary advancement was made arsenic the residents remained steadfast successful their demand.
On April 2, astir 10 residents visited the bureau of the Block Development Officer (BDO) successful Anthiyur for talks. Officials explained the presumption of the task and the Model Code of Conduct, nether which caller funds cannot beryllium sanctioned during the predetermination period.
“Based connected the assurance, we decided to retreat the protestation and vote,” said a nonmigratory who participated successful the meeting. The banner placed successful the hamlet was removed. “The protestation has been withdrawn lone temporarily, and our request indispensable beryllium met by the authorities formed aft the election,” helium added.
In the lack of a motorable road, large women and patients are carried successful cloth cradles to the main roadworthy during the rainy season, from wherever they are taken to hospitals.
