Parvathipuram, Andhra Pradesh – Despite multiple changes in government over the years, the tribal communities in the agency areas of Parvathipuram district continue to suffer from a lack of basic infrastructure — particularly road connectivity. In remote villages such as Pulupatti in Kurupam Mandal’s Thithiri Panchayat, residents are facing severe hardships due to the absence of proper roads.
Though Pulupatti is just 6 kilometers away from the nearest main road, the lack of any motorable path means that even in emergencies, patients — including pregnant women — have to be carried in ‘dolis’ (makeshift stretchers) across treacherous terrain to reach an ambulance waiting at the roadside. The journey is not only physically grueling but also risky, especially during medical emergencies.
Locals point out that Pulupatti is not alone. Several other hilltop villages nearby — including Marrimanu Guda, Chintamanu Guda, Jammu Naidu Guda, and Polam Guda — are in the same dire situation, having been deprived of road connectivity for years.
“We have been suffering for a long time. During elections, politicians promise us roads, but once they win, they forget us,” lamented one resident. Villagers express deep frustration that successive governments, including the most recent one, have failed to prioritize their needs.
Tribal leaders and community members are now demanding urgent government action to provide proper road access to these agency areas. “It’s high time the government put an end to the doli rides. We want roads, not just promises,” said a community elder.
The lack of roads is not just a matter of convenience — it’s a life-or-death issue for these remote tribal populations. As elections approach once again, the residents of these forgotten villages hope that this time, their voices will finally be heard.
