With the busy Tirunelveli – Tenkasi Highway becoming a ‘death trap’, Collector M. Karunakaran convened a meeting here on Saturday regarding minimising road accidents on this stretch by expediting the work on four-laning.
After visiting the ‘accident prone zone’ spot near Maaraanthai that has so far witnessed three major mishaps over the past one year in which ten persons have been killed, he expressed anguish over yesterday’s accident in which three persons were killed and 18 others injured.
“Besides giving due compensation from the Chief Minister’s General Relief Fund to the family of the deceased, efforts are on to provide assistance to the injured,” Dr. Karunakaran said.
Revenue Divisional Officer, Tirunelveli, P. Fermi Vidhya and senior officials from the Department of Highways accompanied the Collector during his visit.
Later, he held discussions with the officials at the Collectorate on converting this ‘accident prone zone’ into a relatively safe stretch. The Collector said street lights should be installed along both sides of the road to minimise accidents besides clearing the sand accumulated on both sides of this stretch.
After widening the road for nearly 750 meters at Maaraanthai as has been done on the dangerous Aththiyooththu area on the same stretch, a median would be provided at this spot, he added.
Check-posts should be erected at the eastern and western sides of Alangulam to check drunken driving by the drivers of lorries and cargo autos.
“Arrest the drivers operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol and detain the vehicles immediately,” the Collector ordered the police.
He asked officials from Department of Highways to expedite the work on commencing the four-laning of Tirunelveli – Tenkasi highway as the project was on the cards for quite sometime.
On getting information about the accident on Friday night, he visited the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital immediately and asked Dean, TVMCH, K. Sithya Athiya Munavarah to give the best possible treatment to the injured.
