Minister inspects tribal hamlets atop Alleri hillock in Vellore to provide basic amenities

Minister M. Vijay Balaji visited tribal hamlets at the Alleri hillock in Vellore on Friday to address their request for basic amenities. Accompanied by Collector P.S. Leela Alex and M. Vijay Chandran, the District Health Officer, the minister interacted with tribal residents and assessed the condition of existing government facilities, such as a school and a fair price shop, which were housed in a rented building.

Tribal leader K. Veeran informed the minister about the need for essential facilities like roads, health centers, borewells, and regular power supply in the hills. Alleri hillock currently houses three significant tribal villages: Peenjamanthai, Jarthankollai, and Palampattu. In 2025, the hamlet separated from Peenjamanthai village panchayat to become a distinct panchayat, with approximately 300 families residing there.

The state's Development Regulatory and Development Authority (DRDA) has planned to build a bitumen road connecting Varadalampattu to Nelli Marakollai, a distance of 8 km, with the majority of the stretch (5 km) within Alleri Reserve Forest. This new road will be at least five meters wide, feature 15 culverts to manage rainwater, and prevent damage during monsoons. The project is expected to be completed within six months and will cost ₹17 crore.

Additionally, the minister announced the establishment of a special tribal health centre with two duty doctors, staff nurses, separate wards for treatment, a laboratory, and a well-stocked pharmacy. Currently, only two tribal hamlets along the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border have government health centers with bitumen roads. The new health centre is expected to serve the residents of eight remote hamlets in Alleri village panchayat.