Demanding improvement of roads in Karigiri, a group of residents of the area blocked roads and delayed the start of a meeting of the gram sabha by locking the panchayat office on Thursday. Later in the day, the gram sabha, which was convened after the intervention of officials, passed a resolution on the residents’ demands.
The residents complained that roads in the area were not tar-topped even though thousands of commuters travelled on them daily. Moreover due to the slush on the roads, vehicles were at risk of skidding during the rainy season, the residents claimed. In a bid to highlight their plight, the residents planted seedlings on the road. The protesters also sought streetlights and drainage facilities in the area.
The residents locked the panchayat office where the gram sabha meeting was supposed to begin around 10.00 am.
They then blocked vehicles of the Katpadi block development officers Mohan and Sampath, who were to participate in the gram sabha meeting.