State Highways is rehabilitating the damaged Yelagiri Hills Road

The hills have been witnessing a steady influx of tourists for the past week. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

The state highways on Tuesday restored the narrow 14-km Yelagiri Hills Road near Jolarpet town in Tirupattur after the stretch was badly damaged due to rain in the last few days.

State Highways officials, who maintain the stretch, said it has 14 hairpin bends and is 5.5 meters (30 feet) wide and connects Jolarpet, Tirupattur and Vaniyambadi in the plains with 21 tribal habitations on the Yelagiri hills. “The road restoration on the hilly road has been completed. We are also following the weather updates issued by the IMD to take safety measures on such hilly stretches,” K. Murali, Divisional Engineer (DE), State Highways (Tirupattur), told The Hindu.

Among the districts in the region, Ranipet received the most 117.80 mm, followed by Vellore (86.20 mm) and Tirupattur (27.50 mm) as of 8:30 am on Tuesday. Ambur recorded the maximum rainfall of 27.50 mm, followed by Katpadi (25 mm) and Arcot (23.20 mm).

Motorists said many trees on the hill were uprooted by the wind and rain. These blocked the road, especially in the fourth and fifth hairpins on the section. As the two-lane stretch has no street lights, motorists must take the risk of using the road at night.

The hills have been witnessing a steady influx of tourists for a week now as schools reopen after the summer holidays in the coming week. According to records, around 10,000 vehicles use the stretch to reach the hills every day. “The Yelagiri range is a major tourist spot in the region. The soil in the hills, especially along the road, should be strengthened to avoid any inconvenience during rains,” said B. Prabhu, a motorist.

Highway officials said earthen retaining walls at 10 identified locations have been constructed to prevent accidental fall of stones from the hilly section and strengthen the newly laid road. Each wall is 1.5 feet high and one foot wide.

Due to unseasonal rain in recent weeks, Highways officials said the department’s 20 employees have been split into small teams and have been camping at identified vulnerable spots on the stretch for the past few days to carry out repairs and restoration work. They were supported by earthmoving machines and other equipment. They were also tied with ropes to ensure smooth flow of traffic on the route. They were also informed about the current weather to take precautionary steps en route.

Published – 02 Jun 2026 22:57 IST