Thiruvananthapuram, April 18(BPNS)
With the Covid spread increasing in Kerala with Test Positivity Rate (TPR) crossing 17%, the Tamil Nadu government has shut the by-roads to the state from Kerala to TN.
The by-roads from the border to Kanyakumari from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram are shut with only a main road open at the Kaliyakavilai the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu at the Southern most part of Kerala.
The Kerala Chief Secretary VP Joy has already written a letter to this counterpart at Tamil Nadu to avoid closing of the by-roads as it would pose problems for the mobility of people to cross into the Tamil Nadu area and vice versa as several relatives and friends are living across the border. However there is no response from the TN side till now, according to sources in Kerala Chief Secretary’s office.
Tamil Nadu has taken a position that people take the main road at Kaliyakkavilai and to check E-pass and swab test at the border. The border by-roads which are closed include the roads at market road, panangala road, kaduvakuzhy road, vanniyakode road,puliyursala cooperative road, manaladi, ramavarmanchira, undankode roads, kacherinada, fathimapuram and punnamookal roads are closed down by Tamil Nadu police and revenue authorities.
Thankayyan, a local egg trader at Kaliyakavilao border while speaking to BPNS said, “ The TN revenue and police officials have unilaterally shut the roads thus causing much inconvenience to the people of Kerala as well as the local people of Tamil Nadu. We have relatives and friends across the border and also for the people of Tamil Nadu there are relatives and friends in this side. We are expecting a positive response from Tamil Nadu to the Kerala Chief Secretary’s letter.”
The roads are blocked by filling in soil and this cannot be removed and people not able to cross. Police barricades are also set up at the borders and movement is totally curtailed.
A senior police officer at Kaliyakavilai while speaking to BPNS said ,”We are expecting a government order to open a few roads at least as we understand that Tamil Nadu government will bring out an order following the request from the Kerala Chief Secretary.”
People from border areas of Parassalla are depending on Tamil Nadu market for their vegetables, fish and chicken and this again is creating problems for the local people.
