THOOTHUKUDI: After a man dug a portion of the road that leads to Mudivaithanenthal Higher Secondary School and a Primary Health Centre (PHC), claiming ownership of the land, the residents have urged the district administration to relay the road.
Sources said the man, who owned a plot of land along the road, dug up the cross-section of the road and cut off access to the school, PHC, and Vaigaikulam-Srivaikuntam main road, citing a court order. He allegedly bought the land parcel in 2000 knowing that there was a road on it.
"This is the only panchayat road that leads to the 35-year-old Mudivaithanenthal school, where over 800 children study. The severity of this issue is yet to be felt completely as it is vacation time for the students now. However, pregnant women who want to visit the PHC are undergoing undue distress," Mugesh, an alumnus of the school, said.
With the panchayat road all dug up, the public now have to pass through private lands to reach the school, PHC, and in many cases, their houses too. Ward 2 member of Mudivaithanenthal panchayat Murugesan told TNIE that the government had laid the road much before the person bought the land. "He had even damaged a small bridge constructed there by the government," he said.
Based on Murugesan's complaint, panchayat president Ramya visited the spot, but no action ensued. In this situation, the residents have urged the district administration to relay the road before the school reopens, and take action against the man who dug a portion of the road.