Stakeholders have readied a project worth ₹5 lakh to enhance safety measures at the sharp curve at Kareekode, near Perumbavoor on M.C. Road, where five youth were killed in a car-bus collision on Thursday.
This will be handed over to District Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla on Saturday. The proposals to prevent accidents at the curve, which has so far claimed life of eight people including pedestrians this year, include blinker lights to forewarn motorists. Steps will also be taken to install reflectors and street lights at the curve, said a MVD official who participated in a meeting held at Perumbavoor on Friday.
Most of the expenses will be met from CSR funds of firms, to overcome delay in getting government funding.
Interestingly, officials of PWD cited fund paucity to straighten the sharp curve on M.C. Road.
Temporary lights
In the meantime, a team of volunteers led by Upendra Narayanan, former member of State Road Safety Council, who visited the accident site on Thursday, has readied a few temporary blinker lights at the curve, using red buckets and high-wattage bulbs. “All that cost was a total of ₹2,000. They would last for about two months, by which time permanent blinkers are expected to be set up,” he said.
Mr. Narayanan blamed reckless driving (by the car driver) and faulty road design as reasons for Thursday’s accident. “Most drivers are not aware of how overloaded vehicles become unstable, especially at curves. Proper sign boards were absent at the curve, while PWD failed to repaint thermoplastic paint to demarcate the road centre and border.”
On their part, both police and MVD must be given adequate manpower, vehicles, equipment and training to keep tab of drunken driving and other offences, he said.