After long wait, children of Erode tribal hamlet get a dedicated school van

The long-pending demand of residents of Vilankombai tribal settlement for a dedicated school vehicle to ensure the safe commute of their children has been fulfilled, with the State government allotting a van for the purpose.

The hamlet, comprising 45 families, is located deep inside the T.N. Palayam Forest Range under the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and falls within Kongarpalayam Panchayat in Thookkanaicken Palayam Panchayat Union in Gobichettipalayam taluk. Students from the settlement have to traverse a 7-km forest stretch, crossing four streams, and travel an additional 3 km to reach their schools.

In the absence of public transport and owing to the risks involved in travelling through the forest — where wild animals are frequently sighted — many students were earlier forced to remain at home. In recent years, under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, a monthly transport assistance of ₹600 per student, along with ₹700 per student from the district administration, was provided and paid to a private vehicle owner for ferrying students to and from the hamlet. However, the commercial vehicle was found to be unsafe during the rainy season, as students had to take shelter under a tarpaulin.

On January 23, 2026, S. Annadurai, Director of the Tribal Welfare Department, visited the hamlet, during which residents reiterated their demand for a school van. Considering the urgency of the situation, orders were recently issued to provide the vehicle. A van earlier allotted to the Government Tribal Residential School at Kilakadu in Kallakurichi district was handed over to the district administration for use in the hamlet.

On Friday (February 27, 2026), Collector S. Kandasamy handed over the vehicle key at the Collectorate to the Service Unit for Development Activities in Rural (SUDAR), a non-governmental organisation entrusted with operating the vehicle. The NGO will receive ₹1,300 per student to meet expenses towards the driver’s salary and fuel.

Mr. Natraj told The Hindu that 19 students are studying at the Panchayat Union Middle School in Vinobanagar and seven at the Government Higher Secondary School in Kongarpalayam. “All the 26 students will be transported to their schools in two trips every day from March 2, 2026,” he said.