Unsafe corridors all around city

Residents allege that the civic authorities are not bothered about the plight of motorists. The steep unlit curve in front of the shipyard at Atlantis has become a death trap for motorists, where two major accidents have been reported.

“Though the contractor has been assigned the work for erecting new lamp posts with lights, he is not keen on completing the work. From 2007, work has been tendered many times by both the previous LDF council and the present council, but nothing has happened. Since the old lamp posts are in a dilapidated condition, they have to be replaced. Though new poles were erected recently, the lights are yet to be turned on,” said Soumini Jain, corporation works committee chairperson.

There are allegations that corporation officials and the contractor have vested interests as they are not ready to dismantle the old lamp posts which are being used by private cable TV and telecom operators. “Except this stretch, streetlights in all other unlit areas in the city could be repaired in the last few months,” she added.

Another dangerous stretch is the South rail overbridge, where most of the streetlights are not working, making it risky for motorists, especially, two-wheeler riders.

The nearly 17- km long NH 47 bypass stretching from Kumbalam to Edapally has no street-lighting facility. Mishaps are common here for the simple reason that motorists fail to judge the position of medians.

“There are no reflectors, streetlights or illuminated pointers along the stretch. A lot of accidents take place here at night. Another problem, especially faced by two-wheeler riders is that they are unable to see people crossing the roads at night due to light reflecting from vehicles coming from the opposite direction,” said Upendra Narayan, traffic expert and former Road Safety Council member.

There are already charges that a high toll fee is being levied at the Kumbalam toll plaza. “Riding two-wheelers through the stretch is a difficult task, especially with the uneven surface at bridges in Thykoodam, Kundanoor and Kumbalam,” said Binoy Raj, a resident of Panangad.

When contacted, a senior official of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) said reflective road studs would be fitted on the entire stretch in two weeks. “The reflective studs would be fitted along the median and on both ends of the road. Tenders have already been floated and the work would start in two days,” he said.

DYFI activists assembled at the toll booth early in the morning itself and prevented the staff from levying the fee.

“They have quietly resumed toll collection and are trying to pass the buck to the common man. The RBDCK (Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala) should try to get the remaining funds from the other agencies involved. We’ll not allow the toll collection at any cost,” said DYFI district vice-president Nishad Babu. The commotion forced officials including RBDCK (Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala) Managing Director Mohammed Hanish to rush to the spot and talk to the protestors. Later, they held talks with the corporation and decided to temporarily stop the toll collection.

“We assured them that toll would be reintroduced only after taking leaders of political outfits into confidence. The corporation too promised to provide us outstanding dues at the earliest,” an official said. The RBDCK had invested Rs 25.13 cr by availing of loans from nationalized banks for which an interest of Rs 11 cr would have to be paid. The corporation and the railways are yet to give the promised amount of Rs 10 cr and Rs 5 cr respectively.