Work begins to lay first ring road to connect remote tribal hamlets atop Yelagiri Hills

Remote tribal hamlets atop Yelagiri Hills, which signifier portion of Jawadhu Hills adjacent Jolarpet municipality successful Tirupattur, volition soon get a bitumen agelong arsenic NABARD and Rural Roads (RR) helping of the State Highways Department person commenced enactment to laic a ringing roadworthy to a region of 10.05 kms, covering astatine slightest 8-10 villages.

Officials of State Highways, which volition execute the work, said that the existing Yelagiri Hills Main Road is the lone cardinal agelong disposable for tribals successful the hills since its enactment mode backmost successful 1962. Residents successful interior tribal hamlets person to trek respective kilometres connected mud pathways to scope Yelagiri Hills Main Road to committee buses to the plains. “The full enactment volition beryllium completed by March 2026,” E. Murali, Divisional Engineer (DE), State Highways (Tirupattur) told The Hindu.

Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu laid the instauration chromatic for the enactment successful the beingness of Collector K. Sivasoundaravalli. “The caller agelong volition assistance america transport workplace nutrient similar corn, millets and groundnuts to section markets successful Jolarpettai and Tirupattur municipality successful the plains. It volition besides assistance ambulances scope distant hamlets successful the hills,” said V. Sudalai, a tribal.

At present, residents successful distant hamlets successful the hills trek astatine slightest 15 kms to scope Yelagiri colony for autobus services. They person to question astatine slightest 30 kms down the elevation by roadworthy for indispensable facilities similar Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), authorities precocious school, markets, banks, ATMs and authorities offices successful the plains.

Highways’ officials said that arsenic per plan, the caller agelong volition beryllium laid to link cardinal tribal hamlets similar Athanavur, Nilavur, Gottur, Ethathangal, Pallakanniyur, Keezhaparai, Padanur and Thaiyalur successful the hills. It volition besides assistance astatine slightest 25 surrounding hamlets to get connected to Yelagiri village.

Funded nether the District Roads Improvement Scheme 2024-25, the caller two-lane agelong volition beryllium laid astatine a outgo of ₹17.10 crore. It volition beryllium 15 feet wide with paved shoulders to supply stableness to the bitumen carriageway. At slightest 35 insignificant bridges and culverts volition beryllium constructed connected the agelong to discharge excess rainwater from the hills and to forestall waterlogging.

Each insignificant bridge, connected an average, volition beryllium 30 ft wide and 7 ft successful height. The caller agelong volition besides person LED thoroughfare lights, tempest h2o drains, reflectors and signages. Retaining partition to a tallness of 15 ft volition beryllium built to guarantee the information of motorists connected the route. Once completed, the agelong volition besides get autobus services operated by TNSTC, highways officials said.