Encroachments removed to provide easy access to Government Higher

Officials in Pernambut cleared encroachments on Iyengar Road on Thursday to widen access to the Government Higher Secondary School located on the stretch near Gudiyatham town in Vellore.

The demolition was carried out by Pernambut municipality, which said the encroachments were mostly houses and petty shops, many of them built more than a decade ago.

Road space restored near school

Municipal officials said most of the 60 encroachments on the stretch were extensions of existing shops and commercial establishments.

These extensions had reduced the total road space available on Iyengar Road, affecting movement along the stretch.

“Such extension of buildings has affected traffic movement, especially ambulances and other vehicles, on the stretch. The drive was aimed at the safety of pedestrians, especially students and to provide more road space for vehicles,” R. Mohan Kumar, commissioner, Pernambut municipality, told The Hindu.

Officials said the demolition has restored the original width of the road to 40 feet.

All these years, the encroachments had reduced the total carriageway to 20 feet wide.

Petitions led to action

Municipal officials said the drive followed directions from Collector P.S. Leena Alex after residents submitted petitions to her at a recent grievances meeting.

The petitions sought restoration of the original width of the stretch by demolishing illegal structures on it.

Notices were served to those who had occupied the stretch as per the court order, officials said.

Affected families were also identified for alternative land of three cents per family.

Key route for students and residents

T. Padma, a resident, said the government school serves students from at least 10 surrounding villages.

“The government school has students from at least 10 surrounding villages. The stretch is the lone access for students to reach the school campus safely. Such a demolition drive should be done regularly,” she said.

Officials said the stretch is around one kilometre in length and connects key areas such as Gudiyatham, Ambur, Pallikonda and Katpadi with Chittoor in A.P.

The road is also a lifeline for local residents going to the bus terminus, hospitals, banks and the market.

The importance of the stretch, officials and residents indicated, was linked both to student safety and to routine access for people using public services and markets.

Water channel to be restored

Officials said the demolition was also intended to restore the existing water channel along the route.

They said most of the encroachments had been built on the water channel.

The encroachments, mostly concrete structures, had blocked the free flow of excess rainwater during the monsoon.

This had resulted in waterlogging in the town.

The water channel helps discharge excess rainwater from stormwater drains in the town into the Palar River.

Officials said restoring the channel was therefore part of the same exercise to remove obstructions along the road.

Safety works planned

Officials said adequate safety measures, including blinkers, reflectors and steel railings, will be installed in the coming weeks.

Speed breakers will also be built to prevent accidents, they said.

The work was reported as published on September 25, 2026, at 12:31 am IST.

Source: The Hindu