The bridge that was damaged during rain in Old Hasanur in Thalavadi Hills in Erode district in Tamil Nadu.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.
Residents of Old Hasanur hamlet in Hasanur panchayat of Thalavadi taluk have urged the district administration to provide all-weather road connectivity, by laying a tar road, linking the settlement to National Highway 948 (Dindigul–Mysuru Road), and restoring a bridge that was washed away during the 2025 northeast monsoon.Nearly 100 families, including around 40 belonging to the Solagar and Urali tribal communities and others from the Lingayat community, live in the hamlet, located about 2 km from the Hasanur bus stop on the National Highway.Residents said they have been living in Old Hasanur for generations but continue to depend on a damaged earthen road, which becomes slushy during the monsoon, disrupting access to schools, healthcare facilities and public transport. Schoolchildren, elderly persons and patients face severe hardship in reaching the main road.With no bus service to the hamlet, residents said they are forced to hire private ambulances during medical emergencies, a cost that many families cannot afford. “We have to walk on the slushy road while two-wheelers get stuck in the mud and require help to pull it out,” said S. Mahinandhan, a resident. He said the villagers had been submitting petitions to the authorities for several years seeking a tar road, but no action had been taken. He said the existing gravel road was laid with financial contributions from owners of guest houses located near the hamlet, as visitors to the guest houses also use the route.Villagers also pooled around ₹10 lakh to construct a small bridge across a seasonal stream in 2005, after repeated requests for government intervention failed. The bridge improved access to the settlement until it was washed away during the 2025 northeast monsoon, leaving the hamlet without direct road connectivity.Badran, another resident, said officials had advised the villagers to use the bridge being constructed on Ongalwadi Road, stating that the government had sanctioned around ₹4 crore for the project. However, he said the approach road to the Ongalwadi bridge is also in poor condition and cannot serve as a permanent alternative. At present, only pedestrians can navigate the damaged bridge, while two-wheelers and cars use the Ongalwadi route, and heavier vehicles take the Arepalayam road, said Veerapathambadi, another resident.Mr. Mahinandhan estimated that restoring the damaged bridge would cost around ₹15 lakh. He urged the district administration to rebuild the bridge and lay a tar road to ensure year-round connectivity. Published - August 05, 2026 07:08 pm IST
