Tamil Nadu built temporary walls on roads at two remote checkpoints on its border with Andhra Pradesh to prevent unauthorised entry of people into the state, but later deferred to public opinion and dismantled them.

The walls, made of concrete hollow blocks, had come up at Synagunda and Ponnai near here.

Vellore district collector A. Shanmuga Sundaram, in reply to a question, said the walls had been built to check unauthorised entry of people, such as migrant labourers, into Tamil Nadu.

Even in the lockdown, some people get access to vehicles and use them to get into Tamil Nadu, the official said.

“Since the chances of getting detected at the main border crossing is high, some people tend to use little noticed locations in remote places,” he said.

The walls were temporary and built without damaging the roads, he added. However, the collector later said: “We have removed it.”

He did not give any reason, but sources said public opinion was against the walls.