Spacious fort complex in Vellore town, girivalam path in Tiruvannamalai, Achamangalam Main Road near Tirupattur town which is dotted with avenue trees and SIPCOT Road in Ranipet have been identified for the State government’s ‘health walk track’ initiative that will be launched by the Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on November 4.
Officials of Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (PHPM), which organises the initiative, said that the 8-km walking initiative, which starts at 6 a.m. on Saturday, is aimed to promote an active and healthy lifestyle among residents in the area. “The initiative is to encourage residents to walk every day. The identified health track for the initiative will be a permanent one for walkers in the area,” R. Selvakumar, Deputy Director of Health Services (DDHS), Tiruvannamalai, told The Hindu.
In Vellore, the walking track starts from Gandhi statue in front of Vellore fort, through Periyar park, parade ground, police training school and Jalakandeswarar temple complex and culminates at the starting point.
A portion of the girivalam path between Anna Arch and Adi Annamalai at the foothills of Annamalai Hills near Arunachaleshwara temple has been identified for the health walk track.
In Ranipet, the walking track starts from Ranipet Collectorate, BHEL Road, SIPCOT and Agraharam before ending at the Collectorate. The Achamangalam Main Road near Tirupattur town has been earmarked for the health walk track route that starts from Tirupattur Collectorate office.
Health officials said that sign boards of healthy diet and walking exercise have been installed at every 500 metres along the route. Seating arrangements, water taps, washrooms, and medical camps have been set up on the track to help walkers. At Tirupattur, the walking route ends near the local Primary Health care Centre (PHC) where walkers can check blood pressure and sugar level.
The health track, which has been created by the district administration, is a one-day event. But, residents can continue their walking exercise on the route every day as it will be maintained by respective local bodies under the supervision of district health officials.
On these tracks, movement of traffic will be less, avenue trees will be more and there won’t be stray dog menace, officials said.
