DRDA commences work to lay forest road connecting hillock temple on Vellore-Tirupattur border

DRDA initiates road construction for safe access to hillock temple, enhancing connectivity for local tribal hamlets in Vellore.

After many decades, tribal hamlets at the foothill of Dharmakondaraja Hills at Guruvarajapalayam village in Vellore - Tirupattur border will get safe access to ancient Lord Vishnu temple atop the hills as District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has commenced the work to lay first bitumen stretch in the hills on Wednesday.

DRDA officials said that the new stretch would be laid between Poolankakuttai Road to Dharmakondaraja Koil Road, a distance of 2.6 km, in the hills. The stretch would navigate thick forest areas in the hills.

“A large number of devotees from Vellore and surrounding districts walk on the existing mud pathway in the forest to reach the temple atop the hills. The new stretch will ensure safety of devotees as they can travel by small vehicles. The entire work will be completed in six months,” G. Kalidas, Assistant Engineer (AE), DRDA (Vellore), told The Hindu.

DRDA officials said that at present, devotees use a mud pathway, which was formed in 1916 to monitor the thick forest areas by the British. The Poolankakuttai and Dharmakondaja tribal hamlets form part of Guruvarajapalayam village panchayat. Around 1,600 families are inhabitants of these hamlets.

Corn, groundnut, banana, sugarcane and millets are cultivated. “The new road will be a lifeline for devotees especially women and senior citizens to reach the hillock temple during festival seasons. Bus services and mobile medical help vehicles should be operated on the route once the stretch is laid,” said B. Parvathi, a resident.

Along with DRDA officials, Collector V. R. Subbulaxmi ladi foundation stone for Rs 1.68 crore work in the presence of P. Kanchana, project director (PD), DRDA (Vellore), and K. Senthil Kumar, Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), Vellore.