A tale of two sides of a road

It is a tale of two sides of a road. Borders don’t matter for people, and this has been proven in the case of Thirukkanur, a suburb of Puducherry sandwiched between the Union Territory and Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu.

The Puducherry-Villupuram arterial road is divided by Thirukkanur in Puducherry on one side and Sithalampattu in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu on the other.

The village presents an interesting scenario in the current context of lockdown.

Shops and business establishments in the Puducherry limits are allowed to do business during current lockdown till noon while the other side of the road, falling under Sithalampattu village in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, presents a forlorn look as Tamil Nadu is observing a total lockdown till May 31.

So it is not surprising to see people from Tamil Nadu walk over to the other side and purchase their requirements as they do have the facility in their State limits.

Though the Villupuram police have sealed the inter-state border with Puducherry, movement of people has not completely stopped.

“Though movement of vehicles has been regulated to a great extent, except those relating to emergencies, people are making an exception to go out to the other side making use of the six-hour window in the Puducherry region.”

“Though the intense lockdown in Tamil Nadu is aimed at curbing unnecessary movement, people have been walking over to the other side, defeating the purpose,” a police officer in Villupuram said.

The Puducherry-Villupuram Road is divided according to the territorial limits of the two States.

“It is feared that with Puducherry adopting a partial lockdown as against Tamil Nadu, the influx of people from the district to the other side for shopping could result in a spike in COVID-19 cases. The Union Territory should also implement a total lockdown as in Tamil Nadu,” an official said.