Remote tribal hamlets atop Yelagiri Hills, which form part of Jawadhu Hills near Jolarpet town in Tirupattur, will soon get a bitumen stretch as NABARD and Rural Roads (RR) wing of the State Highways Department have commenced work to lay a ring road to a distance of 10.05 kms, covering at least 8-10 villages.
Officials of State Highways, which will execute the work, said that the existing Yelagiri Hills Main Road is the only key stretch available for tribals in the hills since its formation way back in 1962. Residents in interior tribal hamlets have to trek several kilometres on mud pathways to reach Yelagiri Hills Main Road to board buses to the plains. “The entire work will be 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 foundation stone for the work in the presence of Collector K. Sivasoundaravalli. “The new stretch will help us transport farm produce like corn, millets and groundnuts to local markets in Jolarpettai and Tirupattur town in the plains. It will also help ambulances reach remote hamlets in the hills,” said V. Sudalai, a tribal.
At present, residents in remote hamlets in the hills trek at least 15 kms to reach Yelagiri village for bus services. They have to travel at least 30 kms down the hill by road for essential facilities like Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), government high school, markets, banks, ATMs and government offices in the plains.
