Police have intensified checking vehicles carrying workers from Tamil Nadu to various cardamom plantations in Idukki in the wake of over-speeding and rash driving often resulting in accidents. The vehicles pass through the Cumbam Mettu, Kumily and Bodymettu check posts usually around 6 a.m. with the return journey by 3 p.m. About 800 vehicles carrying the workers pass along the Cumbam Mettu check post and Udumbanchola taluk hosts the largest number of daily workers.
District Superintendent of Police George Varghese has issued a direction to check the vehicles and in the first phase of the programme awareness campaign will be launched. Police under the Nedumkandam, Cumbam Mettau and Vandanmedu have been deployed in the check posts and near the school premises to control the over speed of the vehicles. “In the first phase, drivers will be allowed to make a self control of over speed and in the second phase vehicle and its documents will be checked before charging cases for rash driving,” said a senior police official at Nedumkandam police station.
Two weeks back, a jeep carrying workers skidded off the road near Udumbanchola and 14 workers were injured. Another vehicle met with an accident near Mundiyeruma though the injuries were not serious, said the official.
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The drive against the over speed was launched from Saturday and in the coming days vehicles will be checked and strict action taken against over speeding and rash driving, he said.
Since the working hours are almost the same the passing of vehicles during the same time could lead to accidents and about 13 accidents have been reported recently. Since the roads are heavily sloped with hairpin curves there is an increased chance of accidents, he said.