Residents of several villages in Salem, Tamil Nadu, have urged authorities to provide proper road connectivity, submitting a petition seeking a road overbridge (ROB) or underpass.
Over 100 residents, including students from Neikkarapatti Puthur Agraharam and nearby hamlets, gathered at the district collectorate to press their demand. Around 25 villages, with a combined population of nearly 10,000, currently rely on a pathway along the railway track to access nearby towns.
The route was earlier used with basic safety measures. However, the installation of iron barricades along the railway line over the past year has cut off access, forcing residents to take a detour of nearly 10 km.
The disruption has affected farmers, traders, weavers, workers and students, making daily commutes and emergency travel more difficult.
Residents have called for the construction of a ROB or an underpass to ensure safe and seamless movement. They noted that earlier representations to railway authorities did not yield results, prompting them to escalate the matter to the district administration.
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