Chengam accident-prone areas inspected
Vellore Range DIG to submit report on preventive measures needed for the stretch
Vellore Range DIG Muthusamy and Tiruvannamalai SP Karthikeyan inspecting one of the vulnerable locations near Chengam
TIRUVANNAMALAI: Vellore Range DIG MS Muthusamy accompanied by Tiruvannamalai Superintendent of Police K Karthikeyan along with NHAI and TNSTC officials inspected 50 kilometres of the Tiruvannamalai-Bengaluru NH 77 near Chengam, the spot were two accidents that caused 14 deaths happened.
After the inspection, the DIG said that he planned to submit a report to the State government through Tiruvannamalai SP, and Collector B Murugesh on a slew of measures to prevent accidents.
Talking to DT Next on Wednesday, he said, “We have planned to set up a check post on the Tiruvannamalai-Krishnagiri district border with VHF (very high frequency) communication facilities to alert officialdom on any accidents.
“We inspected in detail nearly 11 locations near the accident site where there are side roads, which enter the NH directly. Though they have speed breakers, we suggested that local police in collaboration with village panchayat heads also create rumbling strips which would reduce vehicular speed further.”
Elaborating, he said, “Similarly, we suggested that barricades be placed in four-road junctions on this road so that vehicles were forced to reduce speed to negotiate the S curve between successive barricades. This method would also be followed in stretches where shops and houses abutted the NH and where people were wont to cross the road cutting through moving traffic.”
“As the accident stretch was on an ‘S’ curve with blind spots on both sides, we urged NHAI to affix glowing studs on the centre of the road while delineators (one foot high flexible pods which would bend with vehicle movement and used presently on the Salem–Athur stretch) could be fixed in the middle of the road on the curves,” he added.
“Station inspectors have been asked to request local panchayats to cut and remove tree branches and advertisement flex boards on curves which affect visibility. Spot inspections were carried out at Ayyampalayam, Peria Parayapattu, Palayapattu, Peria Kolapadu, Periakulam, Pachal, Eraiyur, Kottakulam, Murayur and Karupankulam,” Muthusamy said.
