KOZHIKODE: With nearly 23 educational institutions on the state highway from Kuttiadi Kalanagaram to Payanthong, there is no footpath for the pedestrians. While the tarring works were done on the road at this stretch, it was stretched even to the footpath area, and hence, the vehicles are encroaching onto most parts of it. Accidents involving schoolchildren are common here, including this week, where two boys died on the spot.
“Many schools, colleges and tuition centres are functioning on this stretch of road, along with banks, block offices, community health centres and primary health centres. Vattoli GUPS, Vattoli National higher secondary school and IHRD College are some of the institutions on this 12-km stretch. Hundreds of patients also walk on the roadside, and their repeated demand for footpaths are also left unheard,” said Nandakumar T.E., a teacher at the Vattoli National Higher Secondary School.
He added that though the school demanded humps and footpath with handrails during the last traffic commissioner’s tenure, only humps were constructed. The state highway is a shortcut from Kozhikode to Bangalore, Mysore and other popular destinations. So, the road is always full, and the long-distance vehicles are also going at full speed. Giving no thought to the children on the road, accidents are a common sight here, residents say.
Apart from the lack of footpaths, the bushes on the roadsides and electric posts that are encroaching into the road also pose threats. In the recent accident, a speeding car that lost control hit a power post before hitting two students at Vattoli Higher Secondary School. The children were killed on the spot. ADM T. Janil Kumar and a team of higher officials had visited the accident area.
Kuttiady MLA Parakkal Abdulla on Thursday submitted a request to PWD minister G. Sudhakaran for immediate construction of a footpath with handrails on the 1-km roadside from Vattoli Higher Secondary School. “The minister immediately agreed to the proposal and called up the executive engineer in charge to move the necessary documents. This would be the first phase. In some areas, where the road is narrow, it would be difficult to build handrails also,” said the MLA.
