Mangarai Tribal Families in Coimbatore Unable to Occupy New Houses Due to Lack of Amenities

Mangarai tribal families in Coimbatore district continue to live in unsafe and temporary shelters despite being allotted newly constructed houses under government housing schemes. The houses, built with concrete roofs and solid walls, remain largely unused as they lack basic amenities such as electricity, drinking water, and functional toilets, forcing residents to stay in old huts closer to forest areas.

In Mangarai hamlet near Thadagam, elderly residents like a 73-year-old woman continue to live in asbestos-roofed sheds along with livestock, even though a new house stands just a few metres away. For her and several others, the absence of essential facilities has made the new houses unsuitable for daily living. What was meant to offer safety and dignity has instead become an incomplete solution.

Residents say they step into the new houses only during emergencies, such as heavy rains or elephant movement at night, and return to their makeshift homes once the immediate danger passes. Daily life, they explain, is still centred around their older huts where basic routines are easier to manage.

Mangarai Tribal Families Caught Between Forest Risk and Incomplete Development

Mangarai village lies close to a reserve forest boundary and is home to families from the Irula tribal community. Human-animal conflict is a regular concern, especially during summer months when wild elephants move through the area in search of food and water. The concrete houses were expected to reduce this risk and improve living conditions, but incomplete infrastructure has limited their usefulness.

Many families previously lived in thatched-roof houses for decades. About ten years ago, a small number of concrete houses were built to replace older structures. In 2023, additional houses were constructed under a central housing scheme aimed at improving living standards for tribal communities. However, the core needs of residents were not fully addressed before handover.

Beneficiaries point out that toilets remain unfinished, water connections are absent, and power supply has not been extended. Without these, the houses become difficult to occupy, especially for families with children, elderly members, and livestock. During hot weather, the concrete structures also become uncomfortable without proper ventilation and water access.

For families of six or seven members, the expectation was that these houses would provide safety, space, and stability. Instead, residents say they are forced to balance between unsafe forest-adjacent huts and incomplete government houses that cannot support daily life.

Mangarai Tribal Families Await Basic Services as Officials Cite Delays

Each house has been built on a small plot of land and includes multiple rooms, with construction costs running into several lakh rupees per unit. Despite this investment, residents say the lack of final-stage amenities has defeated the purpose of the scheme.

Local officials acknowledge delays, particularly in the release of funds meant for sanitation facilities. Authorities say the toilet construction phase is linked to pending fund disbursements, which has slowed completion. Officials also state that similar issues affect several hamlets within the same panchayat, not just Mangarai.

District-level authorities have stated that efforts are underway to provide basic services such as electricity, drinking water connections, toilets, and street lighting across identified tribal clusters. According to officials, Mangarai is among the areas scheduled to receive these facilities soon as part of a broader development plan covering multiple hamlets.

However, residents remain cautious. Past promises have taken years to materialise, and until services are actually provided, the houses remain symbols of unfinished governance rather than progress. For families living at the edge of forest land, delay is not just an inconvenience but a safety concern. Also Read: Doctor Booked in Tamil Nadu After Court-Ordered Hospital Demolition Move in 2026

The situation highlights a recurring issue in rural and tribal development where construction is completed but habitability is overlooked. Without a coordinated approach that ensures water, sanitation, and power alongside housing, the goal of improving quality of life remains unmet.

Conclusion

For Mangarai tribal families, the gap between policy intent and ground reality is still wide. Until basic amenities are provided, the newly built houses will remain largely unused, leaving families caught between unsafe forest living and incomplete development promises.