In a striking act of protest, residents of Valayambattu village, near Vaniyambadi town in Tirupattur, took matters into their own hands on Thursday, locking the gates of the Government Middle School. Their grievance? The deplorable state of a critical road connecting the school to their homes.
When students and teachers arrived around 8 a.m., they were met with the school’s main entrance secured by the protesting villagers. While the community ensured access for students and staff, they promptly re-locked the gates, making a clear statement against the district administration’s inaction regarding the severely damaged road.
According to the residents, Valayambattu Main Road, managed by the Alangayam panchayat union, serves as a vital artery, linking their village to larger towns such as Vaniyambadi, Ambur, Alangayam, and Jolarpet. This one-kilometer stretch is not just a commuter route; it also provides access to essential government facilities, including an anganwadi center and fair price shops.
K. Satyamurthy, a local resident, voiced the community’s fears: “Children frequently get injured falling on the pothole-ridden road. Sending them to school becomes particularly dangerous during the monsoon season.” The school currently serves 150 students, including girls, and stands as the sole government educational institution in Ward 5 of the village.
Beyond the road, school authorities highlighted additional on-campus hazards. The decades-old building’s compound wall remains unfinished, creating an easy access point for trespassers after hours. Furthermore, overgrown bushes and an exposed drain within the school grounds pose significant risks to students, especially during wet weather. School headmistress S. Kalaiarasi noted, “We have repeatedly appealed to the authorities in gram sabha meetings to clear the vegetation and address the open drain, but our requests have gone unanswered.”
Responding swiftly to reports of the protest, Tirupattur police and revenue officials arrived on the scene to mediate. Following assurances from the officials that the much-needed road repairs would commence shortly, the residents peaceably ended their demonstration and unlocked the school gates.