VELLORE: 300-odd tribal families residing at various locations in Thellai, deep in the forest, heaved a sigh of relief following the forest department clearing sanction to lay a 6.50 km road at an estimated Rs 11.50 crore on Wednesday.

The foundation for the work was laid by Collector P Kumaravel Pandian in the presence of Anaicut MLA AP Nandakumar, DFO Kalanidhi and DRDA project director Arthi.

To be completed in 18 months from Wednesday, the work involves construction of four small bridges, eight culverts and two retaining walls in the area which falls under Kaniyambadi panchayat union in Vellore district.

Traversing the 7 km becomes treacherous during the rain as the terrain becomes slippery. Though the cooperative department did take supplies to the tribal village years ago to distribution from a specific point, this was given up once the road was washed away. For last 5 years, tribals came to Tuthikadu for their essentialand emergency needs.