Devotees of Rettamalai Temple suffer in the absence of a good road

The mud road to Ondikaruppu Temple on Rettamalai from Pirattiyur was laid 21 years ago when the DMK organised a conference.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

Devotees of Ondikaruppu Temple at Rettamalai on the outskirts of Tiruchi near Edamalaipattipur continue to face ordeal in the absence of a proper road.

A large number of people, who live in Tiruchi, Pudukottai, and a few other districts in the State consider Ondikaruppu as their kula deivam (family deity). The temple attracts more than 2,000 devotees daily. Most devotees, who visit the temple to offer special puja, travel by cars, vans, and two-wheelers.

Though the temple has access from Edamalaipattipudur and Pirattiyur, it has only a mud road. The mud road from Pirattiyur was formed to facilitate the cadres of the DMK to reach its conference on a vast tract of land about 21 years ago. The Tiruchi Corporation thereafter strengthened the mud road to facilitate the devotees reach the Rettamalai Temple.

Since then the devotees and residents of Ramji Nagar, Pirattiyur, and Karumandapam on Tiruchi-Dindigul Road use the approach road from Pirattiyur to the temple. Devotees from Edamalaipattipudur, Crawford, LIC Colony, K.K. Nagar and airport use the approach from Edamalaipatipudur to reach the temple. Many people from Pirattiyur and neighbouring areas use the Rettamalai temple roads to join Madurai Road at Edamalaipattipudur. Residents of Crawford, Edamalaipattipudur, K.K. Nagar and the neighbouring residential localities travel on the approach road from Edamalaipattipudur to join Tiruchi-Dindigul road.

However, deep potholes and uneven surface greet the motorists. Though the officials of the Tiruchi Corporation promised to convert the mud road into a ‘asphalt’ road, it continues to be a mud road, thereby giving tough time to the motorists.

“Laying of new road to Rettamalai temple continues to be an election promise by the candidates. However, we continue to visit the temple by travelling on the mud road. Steps must be taken to upgrade the road immediately,” says Sivaji of Pirattiyur, a regular visitor to the Ondikaruppu Temple.

A senior official of the Corporation told that The Hindu the civic agencyhad drawn up a plan for it. The Corporation would execute the project soon.