From being just another town on the Dindigul - Palani highway, Oddanchatram has witnessed an exponential growth in the recent years. Known more for its wholesale vegetable market, this town is one of the three municipalities in Dindigul district going to urban local body polls on February 19 .
It is situated in the middle of an agriculturally-rich area - from the nearby Reddiyarchatram region, to the rich Pollachi-Udumalpet belt, farm produce from here finds its way to big markets in Chennai, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Madurai and Kerala. Its location on the crossroads of busy highways also helps.
Gone are the days when vehicles get stuck in traffic as the flyover and bypass road have made life easy for residents and those passing through the town. The transformation is not only perceivable, even the residents are a satisfied lot. One of the residents, N. Arunsankar, former secretary of Palani Hills Development Council, says that with the good road infrastructure, travelling through Oddanchatram towards Coimbatore or even Palani from Dindigul side is a breeze.
Even without help from earlier municipal councils led by Palaniammal Balasubramaniam (AIADMK) or Uma Maheswari Kannan (DMK), the town is blessed with good water supply system. The Pongal gift hamper distribution was free from complaints. People here are happy with their Assembly representative Food and Civil Supplies Minister R. Sakkarapani who is from nearby Kallimandhayam. He stops by to hear grievances of the common man and solves them.
Work to do
Now the Municipal Chairperson post has been reserved for SC candidate. But people bet on the new council, with efforts from Mr. Sakkarapani, to bring the PAP (Parambikulam Aliyar Project) waters from Udumalpet to Oddanchatram, and extend it up to Vedasandur. If the 40-feet silt is removed from nearby Parappalar dam, the frequency of water supply can be increased to twice or thrice a week, Mr. Arunsankar says.
But Oddanchatram is not bereft of civic issues. Among the main problems the new council will have to address are: poor solid waste management - garbage from the 18 wards are dumped near Kulandaivelappar Temple or near Chinnakulam, and poultry waste on Dheeran Chinnamalai Road. Vendors have encroached the road stretch from Christian Fellowship Hospital to Dharapuram Road junction.
