Trichy: Students of Suklampatti Kombai, a tribal hamlet near Thuraiyur, are forced to walk several kilometres through forest areas every day to reach the nearest bus stop at Naganallur, as the village has no direct bus service. Despite repeated petitions, villagers said they continue to struggle without direct bus connectivity.

The village, located under Vairichettipalayam panchayat at the foothills of the Pachamalai hills, is home to more than 1,000 people from over 600 families, most of them agricultural labourers and daily wage earners.

With only a primary school in the village, more than 100 children travel daily to Naganallur, Uppiliyapuram, and Thuraiyur for higher education, sources said. Locals expressed concern over the safety of children, particularly girls, who must walk long distances through forest routes frequented by wild animals. Elderly residents and pregnant women also face severe hardship in accessing healthcare and the weekly market, both located several kilometres away.

In this regard, about 20 residents from the village submitted a petition to district collector V Saravanan on Monday. Activists, however, alleged that despite repeated petitions to authorities and elected representatives, no action has been taken. “Politicians promise us solutions during elections but forget once the votes are cast. For 40 years, there has been no bus facility even for emergency medical treatment,” villagers said in their petition.

Though roads have been laid, there are no bus services, and what they now demand is just one bus service, to and fro, for students to travel to high and higher secondary schools in Uppiliyapuram and Thuraiyur, said N Saravanan from Thuraiyur.

“The hamlet, though one village, is quite complex as its western part comes under Namakkal and the eastern part under Trichy,” he added.

When contacted, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) officials said a request has not been brought to their attention yet. “We have received no requests, but if they do, we will make the necessary arrangements,” an official said.