Kuttaiyur's Isolation: Why Tamil Nadu Villagers Rely on Karnataka for Survival

The dense, verdant expanse of Tamil Nadu’s Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in the Pollachi forest division hides a stark reality for the Malasar tribal community of Kuttaiyur. Despite being geographically rooted in Coimbatore district, these villagers find themselves in an extraordinary predicament: for their very survival, they must turn to the neighbouring state of Karnataka.

Their plight is a poignant tale of isolation, born from a gaping lack of basic road connectivity within their own state borders.

Imagine living just 15 kilometres from your nearest town, Sethumadai, but facing an arduous, often impossible, journey. For Kuttaiyur’s residents, the path to Sethumadai is not a road but a treacherous, muddy track snaking through hilly terrain.

This crude trail becomes a quagmire during monsoons, completely impassable, rendering medical emergencies catastrophic and daily commutes a monumental risk. Schoolchildren frequently miss classes, and even procuring essential rations becomes a Herculean task.

Faced with this insurmountable barrier, the villagers have devised an unlikely solution.

Instead of battling the 15 km to Sethumadai, they undertake a significantly longer, 35 km journey. This route takes them through Valparai, then into Kerala, and finally to Mudis, a town nestled near the Kerala border but crucially, within Karnataka. Why this circuitous path? Because the roads leading to Mudis are well-maintained, offering a semblance of normalcy and access to vital services that their own state fails to provide.

For decades, the dreams of a proper road connecting Kuttaiyur to Sethumadai have been mired in administrative limbo.

A proposal for a motorable road was initiated years ago, only to be stalled due to the complexities of forest land acquisition. The Forest Department, Highways Department, and Tribal Welfare Department have all been involved at various stages, yet the villagers' pleas for a permanent solution have remained unanswered.

This bureaucratic deadlock leaves Kuttaiyur stranded, its people watching as their neighbours across state lines thrive with better infrastructure.

The human cost of this isolation is immense. During a medical crisis, every minute counts, yet ambulances cannot reach Kuttaiyur, forcing villagers to carry the sick or injured for miles on foot.

Children, eager for education, are frequently deprived of schooling because the journey to Sethumadai is too dangerous or simply impossible. The absence of reliable transport also impacts their ability to sell forest produce or seek employment, trapping them in a cycle of economic disadvantage.

Kuttaiyur’s story is a stark reminder of the digital and physical divide that persists in remote areas.

As these Malasar tribal families continue their cross-state odyssey for basic necessities, their unified voice echoes a simple, urgent appeal: build them a road. A proper connection to Sethumadai would not only integrate them fully into Tamil Nadu but would also unlock opportunities for health, education, and economic stability, ending their forced reliance on a different state for the fundamentals of life.