Mini-vans sanctioned for Pachamalai Hills to ease tribal students' commute, boost school access
The scheme follows the success of a pilot project in the Kalvarayan Hills and aims to provide safe and reliable school transportation in remote tribal regions. According to a Government Order (GO) issued last month, each Trax Cruiser mini-van will cost Rs 15.74 lakh, and the total allocation for Tiruchy district is Rs 78.71 lakh. The scheme is fully funded by the state government, covering vehicle maintenance and fuel, along with salaries of drivers.
In Tiruchy, the vans will be assigned to tribal residential schools to pick up and drop off students, especially those from interior villages, where daily commuting remains a major barrier to education, particularly for middle and high school students, officials said. However, primary school children in Pachamalai Hills largely don't face this issue, as most of the elementary schools are located within a few minutes walk from students' homes.
Sources said 29 schools are operated by the department in Tiruchy district, with the majority situated in three key panchayats of the Pachamalai region. These include two higher secondary schools at Chinna Illupur and Top Sengattupatti, one high school at Sembuluchampatti, and two middle schools in Nagore and Thenpuranadu. The remaining institutions are elementary schools, with 22 located in the hills and two more in the foothills.
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