DINDIGUL: A total of 300 families of the Maladiyar community in Vellakavi Panchayat are set to get a 14 km-long road connecting the village to Vattakanal. The construction will be done at a cost of Rs 120 crore and the bhoomi puja will be conducted soon. Notably, Kodaikanal is 6.9 km away from Vattakanal village.
Speaking to TNIE, former Kodaikanal municipality chairman Mohammed Ibrahim said, "This has been a demand for over 70 years. The entire village is located in a remote spot and is far from Kodaikanal city. One has to travel to Vattakanal, and then go to Dolphin's nose, which is a flat rock at the edge of a cliff. Later, one has to reach Vellagavi village through a steep 'Othaiyadi Paadhai' (single-track road), filled with mud, rocks, and potholes. Villagers had to deploy horses to bring their farm produce to Kodaikanal through Vattakanal and Dolphin Nose. After several requests, the local administration has sanctioned funds for road construction."
Vellagavi village panchayat president Purushottam Das said, "Vellagavi has six wards where harvesting cardamon, orange, and coffee plantations are the primary occupation. Each ward is located on a separate hill in the village. We released a tender inviting bids, after which a contractor was finalised and the bhoomi puja will be done in a few days. Road connection between Vattakanal to Vellakavi is important."
A Dindigul District Administration official said, "There is a trekking route (6 km) from Vattakanal to Vellagavi along the hill slopes but this will take 3 to 4 hours to reach Vellagavi. All persons will have to take horses to Vellagavi or travel by foot."
"A detailed project report (DPR) was prepared and approved, and patta land from farmers have been acquired. The total cost of the project is Rs 120 crore. The contractor has also been selected," he added.
It is to be noted that Vellakavi is 4,000 feet above sea level, located in the Kodaikanal hills. Hiking or horse riding is the only way to reach here, as no vehicles can be used after Vattakanal.