Major stretch on the Jawadhu Hills near Tirupattur town hit by landslip

Landslip on Mattrapalli-Pudur Nadu Main Road near Tirupattur town due to heavy rain, restoration work in progress.

The Mattrapalli-Pudur Nadu Main Road atop the Jawadhu Hills near Tirupattur town was affected by landslip on Tuesday. Work to restore the stretch is under way.

Officials of the State Highways, which maintains the stretch, said the region had been witnessing heavy rain for the past few days.

Excess rainwater from the hills was discharged through ponds and streams to the Cheyyar and the Pennar in the plains. The continuous downpour resulted in the landslip.

“Boulders have fallen on the stretch. The bitumen carriageway was damaged as excess rainwater got discharged through 40 culverts on the route. Each culvert is located at least 300-400 metres from each other,” K. Murali, Divisional Engineer (DE), State Highways (Tirupattur), told The Hindu.

Officials have reported landslip at least at 20 locations on the Mattrapalli-Pudur Nadu Main Road, which is the main stretch in Tirupattur town. Traffic was affected on the route. A 50-member team from the State Highways has been roped in to clear the road. Earthmovers have been deployed to remove fallen trees and large boulders from the stretch.

“The stretch is a lifeline for tribals living in the hills for reaching big towns in the plains...,” said B. Mayan, a resident.

The road, 15-ft-wide, was laid recently. It was the first such road since the formation of the stretch as a pathway in the early 1970s by the Forest Department.