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Time of India
07-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Kodaikanal village to get road after four centuries
Dindigul: It was a historic moment for Vellakavi villagers in the Kodaikanal hills as their village was finally set to be connected with a road. On Wednesday, Palani MLA I P Senthilkumar and Dindigul collector S Saravanan laid the foundation stone for the Rs22 crore road work at Vattakanal, eight kilometres from the village. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Vellakavi, with a population of 350 people, has existed for over 400 years without a road. The nearest road at Vattakanal could only be reached through trekking. Villagers turned emotional when the groundbreaking ceremony for the road was held . The villagers carry their farm produce on their shoulders or on ponies and have to undertake the eight-kilometre trek to Vattakanal for all their needs. Things become difficult when someone falls sick as they have to be carried on dollies to Vattakanal, from where they can take a vehicle or ambulance. Finally, the state govt has taken up the road construction from Vattakanal to Vellakavi with the help of Nabard. In the first phase, it will be laid for three kilometre from Vattakanal, while administrative sanction will be sought for the next three kilometres this year, said the district collector. On the civil supplies minister's instruction, PDS items are delivered at the doorsteps of Vellakavi people since last month. The collector said they are making efforts to redress the problems of hill villages on the orders of the chief minister. Addressing the villagers, Senthilkumar, MLA, said they also laid the foundation stone for a Rs10 crore road project from Koppaikadu to Sembirankulam in Vadakavunji panchayat. Vadakavunji has been provided with a three-phase electrical supply.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Work begins on laying new roads in villages on Kodaikanal hills
In response to the demands of the residents, foundation was laid for road works from Vattakanal to Vellagavi and upgradation of the road from Kombaikadu via Sembirankulam in Kodaikanal. Dindigul Collector S. Saravanan and Palani MLA I.P. Senthilkumar laid the foundation for the road works. The estimated cost for the road works project from Vattakanal to Vellagavi was ₹21.74 crore and the road upgradation project was ₹10 crore. Vellagavi, established during British rule, was about eight km from the main road. The people had urged the authorities to establish basic amenities in the village including a proper road facility connecting the main road and the village. The Collector said that the people had submitted petitions demanding basic amenities in the village. The ration items were being brought to Vellagavi and other villages like Chinnur and Periyur in the panchayat. Works on establishing school and health facilities were also being carried out, he said. MLA Senthilkumar said that NABARD was providing the financial assistance for the two projects and steps were being taken to complete the road works as expeditiously as possible. Work on setting up a three-phase electricity facility in Vadagounchi was completed, he said. The Collector and the MLA also inaugurated the CCTV cameras that were installed around the Kodaikanal lake. A total of 68 CCTV cameras were installed around the lake area at an estimated cost of ₹60 lakh. Kodaikanal Municipality Chairman P. Chelladurai, Vice-Chairman K. P. N. Mayakannan, Municipal Commissioner P. Sathiyanathan and others were present.
