Final hurdle removed for road connectivity to hilltop hamlets in ASR district

ASR District Collector grants forest permission for road construction in hilltop hamlets, resolving tribal people's protest.

ASR district Collector A.S. Dinesh Kumar convened a meeting of the Forest Committee on Wednesday, and a resolution to grant Forest permission for the laying of roads to Rachakilam, Reddipalem, Gummanthi and Chintapaka, Thattapudi and Sindhulupadu hamlets of Anantagiri mandal was passed.

Reacting to The Hindu reporton March 31 on the protest staged by the tribal people of hilltop hamlets demanding forest permission for construction of the road from Gummanthi to Rachakilam via Reddipalem, the Collector convened the meeting.

It may be recalled that the foundation stone for the construction of the road was laid by Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan on December 22, 2024, and G.O. 713 was issued for the construction of a BT road at an estimated cost of ₹5.86 crore.

The execution of the work was handed over to the Panchayat Raj Department. The tribal people of hilltop villages were overjoyed with the laying of the foundation stone by the Deputy Chief Minister. However, the work could not be started due to a lack of forest permission.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, CPI(M) district secretariat member K. Govinda Rao thanked the Collector for granting forest permission for the construction of the roads.