Pernambut clears 60 encroachments to restore road access to government school

Pernambut municipality on Thursday demolished around 60 encroachments along Iyengar Road, clearing the way for students and pedestrians to reach the Government Higher Secondary School located on the stretch.

Most of the structures removed were houses and petty shops, many of them extensions of existing commercial establishments that had eaten into the road space for over a decade. Officials said the encroachments had narrowed the carriageway to about 20 feet, hampering the movement of ambulances and other vehicles.

The drive followed directions from Collector P.S. Leena Alex, who acted on petitions from residents at a recent grievances meeting seeking restoration of the road's original width. Notices were issued to the occupants in line with a court order, and families identified as affected are to receive alternative land of three cents each.

According to municipal commissioner R. Mohan Kumar, the operation was aimed at pedestrian safety, particularly for students, and at freeing up road space for traffic. Residents noted that the school draws students from at least ten surrounding villages and that the road is their only safe route to the campus.

Beyond traffic, the demolition is expected to revive a water channel running along the route, which most of the structures had been built over. The channel carries excess rainwater from the town's stormwater drains to the Palar River, and its blockage had contributed to waterlogging during the monsoon.

The roughly one-kilometre stretch links Gudiyatham, Ambur, Pallikonda and Katpadi with Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, and serves as a key route for residents heading to the bus terminus, hospitals, banks and the market. With the encroachments gone, the road has regained its original 40-foot width.

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