While election fever is catching up in other parts of Coimbatore, residents of two tribal hamlets near Anaikatti, around 30 km away from the city, are concerned about the road connecting them to the outside.
The roads to Chinna Jambukandi and Koottuppulikkadu tribal settlements coming under 24 Veerapandi panchayat are in need of attention as 100-odd families are depending them to access Coimbatore-Anakatti main road.
While one road connects Koottuppulikkadu via Chinna Jambukandi settlement to Coimbatore-Anakatti road, the second one from Alamaramedu directly connects Koottupulikkadu to the main road.
According to residents from the tribal settlements, the one-km stretch to Koottuppulikkadu via Chinna Jambukandi settlement was bitumen road which was laid a decade ago.
“The potholed road which remained neglected was ploughed using earthmover a month ago. A ground breaking ceremony attended by MLA V.C. Arukkutti was also held. But no other works were done after that, forcing residents from the two settlements to use the road which is now full of rubble,” said a resident.
While 40 families live in Koottuppulikkadu, nearly 60 families reside at Chinna Jambukandi settlement. Apart from the houses of tribals and a few bungalows, a State horticulture farm is also situated en route to Koottuppulikkadu. While a few tribals have two-wheelers, students from the two settlements walk to the schools at Jambukkandi and Anaikatti. Also, voters from these two settlements will have to use the same road to access the polling booth at the primary school at Jambukandi.
Meanwhile, no works have been taken place on the direct road from Alamaramedu to Koottupulikkadu. The concrete road laid several years ago is a pathetic state now.
A senior official from District Rural Development Authority said that the works of the two roads will be expedited and completed at the earliest.