The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the Alappuzha District Collector to conduct an investigation and place before the court a report on the incident in which a bicycle rider died after falling into a trench dug across a PWD road at Kommady in Alappuzha in the late evening hours of May 3.
Justice Devan Ramachandran also directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kochi City, to launch an inquiry into the death of a 39–year-old two-wheeler driver after being run over by a speeding private bus at Chalikkavattom on April 30 when she was returning from work.
In a report tabled before the court on Tuesday, S. Vinod Bhat, amicus curiae, submitted that no warning signs were placed at the site of the accidents. In fact, the boards were placed after the incidents. The two deaths would not have taken place had the authorities followed the interim directives of the High Court, the report said.
The court passed the order during the hearing in the case relating to road repair works. It had also observed that if a road was reduced to a condition dangerous to cyclists, pedestrians or other users, it would come within the ambit of the Disaster Management Act. The Alappuzha District Collector, therefore, had a duty to launch an investigation under the Disaster Management Act and other related statutes.
The court asked the State government to respond to the report of the amicus curiae. It was also highlighted that in spite of the assurances by the authorities, the Kizhakambalam–Nellad road in Ernakulam district was not made motorable.
