Summary:
Trichy: The 12-day long protest undertaken by residents from Palpannai to Thuvakudi demanding the laying of service road ended on Thursday with CPI leader, R Nallakannu, who took part, seeking the chief minister's intervention. But the dream of laying a service road witnessed several setbacks over the years and never saw the light of day ever since.As the absence of service road on either sides of NH 67 continued to claim lives, residents protested stressing on their demand.Calling off their protest on Thursday, the residents said that they would announce the next phase of protest in the next few days if the demand is not met. He also appealed to the government to start laying of service road in the existing 90 acres of government land which would help further in completing the entire stretch.The decision to skip a service road on the Palpannai - Thuvakudi stretch was an administrative decision taken by state government to skip while proposing expansion of NH 67 into four way lane in 2007-08.The purpose was to avoid project cost escalation but the decision was rolled back after government realised its necessity. The residents began the protest to draw the government's attention after their decade-old demand went unheeded.Stating that people have come to the roads as it is a matter of life and death for them, the state government, especially the chief minister, who is holding the portfolio of highways should consider the demand without politicising the issue, Nallakannu said..