Road projects to be game changer in Jawadhu Hills

TIRUVANNAMALAI: Compared to the usual government road projects, this project is small, but it will prove to be a game changer in Jawadhu Hills, official sources said.

The project involves laying around 25 km road in 18 stretches covering 20 tribal habitations in the Kovilur panchayat area at an estimated cost of Rs 11.6 crore, but once completed “it will mean a new lease of life for both adults and children alike,” an official involved in the project seeking anonymity said.

The scheme comes under the MGSMT (Mudalvarin Gram Salaigal Membattu Thittam – Chief Minister’s rural roads upgradation programme) under the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. “The proposed roads will increase tourism, provide increased business avenues for tribal farmers in addition to providing access to better education for tribal children while government schemes will also reach tribal residents doorsteps,” the official said.

The scheme envisages laying roads, which will have white guidelines on both sides – to help drivers at night as there are no street lights on hill roads – in addition to road studs (solar powered LED low maintenance lighting device embedded on the road surface). It will give drivers additional reaction time in emergencies, similar to those found on roads in the plains.

Once the project is completed, Bhiman falls in Kovilur panchayat limits will attract more tourists due to availability of pucca road. Presently a potholed road leads to the spot.

Similarly, the new roads will help tribal farmers access to buyers as now in this area, lacking this facility farmers chop up jackfruits and serve it to their livestock. “Roads as in other tribal areas will mean traders arriving and handing out advances to book jackfruits, which will increase the tribal farmers income,” the official added.

Also dropouts in classes 5, 8 and 10 will also be reduced as roads will enable school and technical institutes from the plains to send their vehicles to collect students from tribal areas. “This will mean an increase in education among tribal residents which will open many doors and bring them out into the world,” an official added.

The same benefits will also accrue to government schemes like “Illam Thedi Maruthuvam,” the official added.