DHARMAPURI: Residents of Muthampatti have appealed to the district administration to carry out repairs or relay the road connecting Bommidi and Nallampalli. The road is the key link to reach Dharmapuri, and also several people visit the Anjaneya temple at Muthampatti.
J Prathapan, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Agriculturist Farmers Association said, “The road between Bommidi and Nallampalli was constructed by the forest department several decades ago. The road reduces the travel distance between Bommidi, Nallampalli and Dharmapuri by at least 25 to 30 km. But it is in a bad shape and efforts must be taken to improve it.”
The road lies inside a forest area and is maintained by the forest department. Hence panchayats cannot lay roads here, he added.
G Kumaresan, a resident of Bommidi, said, “Muthampatti has become a pilgrimage site. Many devotees from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana come here to pray at the Anjaneya temple. They are put to hardship because of the condition of the road.”
DRDA officials said, “The road can be constructed only with permission from the forest department. We cannot initiate steps to renovate it. The decision lies with the DFO and the district collector.”