The Nilgiris District Police have drawn up plans to reduce accidents on Kalhatty Ghat road, one of the most accident-prone parts of the Nilgiris. The 19-km. Ghat Road with 19 hairpin bends has witnessed over 150 accidents in the last few years, resulting in the deaths of 22 motorists.
The Nilgiris District Superintendent of Police, Murali Rambha, said that more signboards would be placed along the route, warning motorists of the dangers of driving recklessly. “Most of the accidents on the route are self-accidents. The drivers, especially from outside The Nilgiris, need to be sensitised about the road rules,” he said.
Mr. Rambha also said that two “blackspots” have been identified and that the police would work with the Highways department in improving the safety, either through design or minor alterations to the road surface.
According to statistics 12 motorists have met with accidents in 2015 and 2016. The increase in the number of fatalities along the road has raised concerns among the police, as only a total of 10 people died in four years between 2011 and 2015.
A district police official said that the main cause for the accidents was lack of experience in descending steep ghat roads. “We have signboards warning drivers to descend the stretch in only first and second gear. However, most drivers choose to ignore the warnings, especially those owning taxis, as descending in lower gears usually lowers the mileage of their vehicles,” the official said.
The police also said that some models of vehicles were more prone to accidents along the route than others.
As a result the police would distribute pamphlets to motorists with basic instructions on which gear to use while descending, and what cars are best suited to getting to Masinagudi from Thala Kundah safely.
