Fri Feb 07 13:56:28 UTC 2025: ## Salem Villagers Block Highway, Demand Service Road
**Salem, Tamil Nadu – February 7, 2025** – Over 200 residents of five villages near Salem staged a one-hour road blockade on the Salem-Chennai national highway Friday, demanding the construction of a service road at the Manivulundhan bus stop. The protestors, from Manivulundhan, Sarvai, Sarvai Pudur, Vadakumarai, and Punalvasal Sathapadi, claimed the lack of a service road prevents buses from stopping, leaving them stranded.
Police arrived on the scene and, after negotiations, released ten villagers who had been briefly detained. Authorities assured the protestors they would address their concerns with relevant officials, leading to the lifting of the blockade. Traffic on the national highway was disrupted for approximately one hour due to the protest.
First Piper 