Podugampatti in Dindigul district needs bus service, good road

Even in this age: Students from Podugampatti walk the 3-4 km to catch the bus to school.
| Photo Credit: G. MOORTHY

B. Dhanalakshmi, a nurse, was working in a big hospital in Madurai about six months ago. However, she had to quit her job – because she could not reach the hospital in time. A resident of Podugampatti, off the Madurai-Natham highway in Parali Pudur panchayat in Dindigul district, she had to walk for close to an hour to reach the highway about four kms from her hamlet and another one km to reach the bus stop in Vemparali.

She says that it was always a mad rush in the morning to reach the bus stop as no bus came to Podugampatti. Unable to endure this ordeal, she quit her job.

Podugampatti, a picturesque hamlet with around 100 families, lies on the foothills of the Sirumalai range and though it comes under Dindigul district, the villagers depend on Madurai for work, education, shopping and everything. Most of the residents in the hamlet, comprising people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Most Backward Classes, are daily wagers. One has to walk uphill from the highway to reach Podugampatti.

College and school students leave in batches as early as 6 a.m., most of the time skipping their breakfast or carrying them, so as to catch the bus and reach their destination on time.

A daily wager, S. Krishnan, says earlier there was no proper road to the hamlet from the main road. The road with a steep gradient was in a bad condition. Following protests by residents after some of them suffered injuries due to accidents, the road was relaid. However, this road was laid only for a few metres from the highway. Beyond Kuttu, another hamlet near the entrance, the road remains battered, he says.

For the residents, their main demand has been a bus service to Periyar bus stand and Natham, at least once in the morning and evening, so that they need not walk all those miles. The distance between Periyar bus stand and the hamlet is around 30 km.

A battered stretch of road leading to Podugampatti.
| Photo Credit:
G. MOORTHY

A. Subbiah, an elderly person, says the bus service and the need for a good road were long- pending demands of the residents. Though they had approached the authorities with these demand, their genuine demands were never looked into.

There were also other demands. Though street lights were installed a few months ago, they were insufficient. More street lights are needed in the hamlet. Another major demand is a new water tank with a capacity of one lakh litres as the old tank with a capacity of 10,000 litres is in a dilapidated condition. Another water tank in the hamlet is not functioning due to motor issues.

Besides, healthcare facilities and proper waste disposal systems are non-existent in this village.

Ms. Dhanalaksmi says the nearest primary health centre is in Vathipatti which is about six km away. In case of emergency, they have to rely on their two-wheeler or borrow one to visit the PHC or the Government Hospital in Natham in Dindigul district or Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.

About a year ago, the authorities met the residents at the hamlet in order to look into the demands of the people. While some of the demands like street lights were met, they say that the other demands should also be looked into.

TNSTC Madurai Division officials say city buses covered a radius of 35 km and beyond that mofussil buses would operate. However, for the operation of the buses, the place should have a population of around 1,000 people. Based on their representation, a survey will be conducted to see if it was feasible to operate a bus, the officials say. With the New Comprehensive Minibus scheme to be implemented soon, the residents can submit their representation to the Dindigul Regional Transport Office for consideration, the officials say.

A panchayat official says the proposal for a new road has been sent to the authorities. The demand for bus service will be taken up with the TNSTC officials. Medical camps were being held periodically at the hamlet. The water tank with motor issues will be repaired, the official says.