Status of Emergency Evacuation Route Road construction

Six years ago on the fateful day of 26^th December, 2004, twenty (23) men, women and children of our village were killed in the deadly Great Tsunami. In order to prevent such losses again, Government proposed to construct of “Emergency Evacuation Route Road” for us. The construction of road is not yet complete even after 2,161 days since the Great Tsunami.

We also want to bring to your kind notice that the “Emergency Evacuation Route Road” is a mandatory under the new National Disaster Management Plan (Sec 5.2.1 under “Prevention/Protection and Mitigation from risk of Tsunami: A Strategy Paper”, Ministry of Home Affairs, 2005). This is also advised as per "Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World, 1994"

Negative Implications for us:

1. In case we are not provided with the “Emergency Evacuation Route Road” on time (before another disaster hits us), god forbid the loss of lives in that case can be as high as during the Great Tsunami of 2004.

2. Currently 120 school children who are studying in the Thiruvettakuddy High school are taking the dangerous route through open fields and deep canal, thereby endangering their life. They can take Mandabathur - Thiruvettakuddy road, but that is a circuitous route.

Kindly see the attachments to know our current vulnerable status.

1. Photographs depicting current approach/exit roads to Kalikuppam

2. Map(Rough) depicting the current and proposed evacuation route for Kalikuppam

3. “Prevention/Protection and Mitigation from risk of Tsunami: A Strategy Paper”, Ministry of Home Affairs,2005 (32 Pages)

Current Status of the Project:

Total Road Length: 1500 m

Direction : To the west of Old Kalikuppam to Thiruvettakuddy via New Sant Namdev

Nagar.

Road Segment	Length	Status
Road from Old Kalikuppam to Western most edge of Sant Namdev Nagar	300 m	Complete
Road from Thiruvettakuddy to paddy field	200 m (Mud Road) 200 m (Metal Road)	Complete In - Complete
Road from west of Sant Namdev Nagar to Thiruvettakuddy Road.	1000 m	In - Complete

Agencies informed us that there is fund shortage, but not laying this road for our village may cost us several lives.

We the people of Tsunami affected village of Kalikuppam humbly pray to the Government of Puducherry through you to expedite the Road construction work and save us from likely threat from another Tsunami or other such disasters.

Reference:

http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/Tsunami2004/Strategy%20Paper%20on%20Tsunami.pdf