TIRUPATTUR: Last week, it took nearly half an hour for K Krishnan, a school bus driver in Yelagiri Hills, to pass the 2.8-km stretch in Nekkilimedu. The bus began rolling backwards due to the steep incline. With a bus full of students heading from Athanavur to Kottur, Krishnan kept shifting gears till the vehicle slowly ascended.
Having navigated the hills for over 30 years, such incidents are not new for Krishnan. A blind curve, steep gradient, and uneven road at Nekkilimedu make the stretch particularly difficult to get by, with a roughly 10-ft-deep gorge along one side. Krishnan carries around 60 students to and from school daily. “I was so worried for the kids inside. A slight deviation while reversing could take us all down a deep gorge on the side of the road,” he said.
Jayanthi Stephen, a teacher at a private school in Kottur, said the daily commute was frightening. “Every journey on this road feels like we are putting our lives at risk. I accompany a bus full of children. If something happens to them tomorrow, I will be answerable. What is the point of crying after something bad happens?” she asked.
The stretch becomes more difficult during rain, when the road turns slushy. “During heavy rain, children have to get down from buses and walk 1.5 km uphill to Kottur,” Jayanthi said.
Residents also pointed to frequent accidents by motorists who fall on the stretch due to poor visibility and steep gradient. “A few days back, a husband and wife travelling on a bike fell and fractured their hands,” Krishnan said.
Residents use this road to travel to hospitals and purchase everyday essentials. “Pregnant women and elderly people also struggle travelling on this route. The ride to get healthcare itself is risky,” said Kaali Gounder, a 60-year-old resident of Kottur.
Importantly, the stretch is also part of the ongoing Yelagiri Hills Ring Road Project.
Long wait gets longer
Lourduraj D, a resident of Athanavur, submitted a petition to the State Highways Department, Tirupattur, earlier this year seeking road straightening. “The curve is very narrow and steep, making it difficult for vehicles, school buses, ambulances, fire engines and even tourist vehicles to pass safely. It becomes particularly dangerous during rain, at night and in foggy conditions,” he said.
The road, earlier maintained as a panchayat road, was later upgraded as a State Highways road. The Assistant Divisional Engineer of State Highways, Tirupattur, sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for road straightening the stretch from the DFO, Tirupattur, in July. According to Highways officials, around 100 metres of road needs to be straightened.
“We have received the request and replied, directing them to submit a formal application through the Parivesh portal for forest clearance, as it involves diversion of forest land. Any change in road alignment within the forest area is subject to the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980,” a DFO office official said.
A highways official said the department was fast-tracking the application process. The process could take at least a year before work begins, officials said. “Does this mean we have to wait for an accident before something is done?” the residents ask.
