After one more person — this time, a police officer — died in an accident on the Seaport-Airport Road on Friday, enforcement agencies are making frenzied efforts to bring down the rising number of accidents. But, a practical solution to the problem appears elusive.
The traffic wing of Kochi city police is embarking on a proposal to initiate traffic control measures on the road, especially on the stretch between Collectorate Junction and Poojari Valavu. A team of officials led by A.J. George, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Traffic East, will inspect the location on Monday.
“The objective is to identify spots to set up speed-breakers, blinkers and cameras and regulate the flow of traffic, especially during night hours,” the official said. Efforts will be taken to implement the measures recommended by the Chandrasekhar Das Commission on Road Safety, which had inspected the road a year ago.
The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) officials, however, said the installation of traffic regulation measures would lead to more accidents in the absence of street lights. “Other than four-laning the existing road, no external measures are going to help. The installation of barricades or speed breakers will lead to traffic congestion during peak traffic hours and more number of accidents at night,” said Sadikh Ali, Regional Transport Officer, Ernakulam.
He attributed the rising number of accidents along the stretch primarily to the unscientific undulations in road formation, often leading to over-speeding and loss of control over the vehicle.
Free left-turn
Meanwhile, official sources said traffic-related issues at the Collectorate Signal Junction could be solved by providing a free left-turn to each of the four sides. “The property on all sides belongs to the government and there shouldn’t be any problem in widening the junction so as to provide a free left-turn. Unfortunately, there is no one to take the initiative,” they said.
Traffic along the road, which links Kalamassery to Karingachira in Thripunithura, has almost doubled over the past one year. While accidents are reported on the stretch on a regular basis, many parts of the road still lack proper lighting compounded by the menace of unauthorised parking and undulated surface.
Over the past three weeks, at least 12 accidents have been reported from the region.
