A decades-old arch on Vellore-Katpadi Main Road greets visitors to Gudiyatham, one of oldest towns in Vellore district. The arch commemorates the town’s existence as a municipality since 1866.
It also separates the busy town from its neighbouring Pallikonda, a border town on the Bengaluru Highway (NH48) in the district. In context with the upcoming urban local bodies election, the arch also represents the collective demand of residents, who are mostly weavers and farmers, to construct a bypass road that will help decongest the existing Santhapet Main Road by diverting heavy vehicles away from the town thoroughfares.
“As per plan, the proposed 2-km bypass road will begins near the arch and end near the Kamaraj bridge on the outskirts of the town, preventing heavy vehicles from entering the town. We are eager for the project to begin,” said G.S. Arasu, 48, a long-time resident. At Netaji Chowk, R.N. Khaja, a mobile phone shopkeeper, echoes the sentiment to decongest roads in the old town and reduce noise and air pollution.
A recent encroachment removal drive started by the DMK government along Gowndanya river, a tributary of the Palar, has been welcomed by many residents as they felt such an exercise was a long overdue.
Of the 1,410 houses covering wards such as 26 to 29, 35 and 36 in the Gudiyatham Municipality, 600 houses along the river were demolished in the past two months, before the election was announced on January 28. The displaced residents will be relocated to alternative sites in Vadakkupattu, Athankal and Vazhuthur villages around the town.
A total of 145 candidates were contesting for 36 wards in the Gudiyatham Municipality, which has a total voter count of 85,432, including 44,605 women.
Pallikonda, a border town panchayat, depends on the growth of Gudiyatham as most of the facilities are available in the latter. As a result, many residents here depend on Gudiyatham to meet daily needs.
Restoring water supply
Restoration of water supply under the Cauvery Integrated Drinking Water Supply Scheme remains a major poll demand for residents in Pallikonda.
Major water pipelines were damaged when the Palar flooded in November. Since then, tankers have supplied water to the town. Launched seven years ago in 2015, the project is being executed by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD Board) in 11 municipalities, including Gudiyatham and Pernambut, five town panchayats, 944 villages and the Vellore Corporation to ensure regular water supply.
Pallikonda has a total of 19,966 voters (10,368 women) within its 18 wards for which 28 candidates are in the fray.
The Pernambut Municipality is located 23 km from Gudiyatham along the hillock. Residents are mostly agricultural workers and labourers. One of the major demands is to provide safe-housing and work for them. A total of 48,040 voters, including 24,501 women voters, will elect councillors for 21 wards for which 59 candidates are in the fray.
