The Barracks road junction on Kannur road is slowly emerging as a death trap for pedestrians with the authorities taking no concrete steps to control the traffic flow here.
Local people say the number of incidents of speeding vehicles affecting pedestrians is increasing in the area. Children and elderly women are the ones that most meet with the freak accidents.
The junction doesn’t have traffic personnel on duty.
No deployment
As the service of home guards is made available on West Hill and Chugam junctions, the traffic police are not in a situation to deploy one more person at the barracks junction that falls midway between both the junctions.
Police officials have a reason for this.
They claim that the Barracks junction is not always crowded with vehicles and people though the situation is a bit risky during peak hours as in any other spot.
Traders in the area say a proper marking of zebra line could help pedestrians, who now try to cross the road risking their lives.
The road at this junction is very wide, but the vehicles plying on the route hardly stick to the lane discipline.
Also, the hurry shown by vehicles to enter the highway from Barracks road makes the situation worse, especially during the peak hours of traffic, the traders say.
Freak accidents
Vehicles coming from Kannur side may not even notice the sudden entry of vehicles from Barrack road, thus keeping the chances of freak accidents open.
“At least a speed breaker or zebra crossing should be introduced in the area to ensure the safety of women and children. The initiative should come at the earliest, as just one month is left for schools to reopen,” says V. Vasudevan, a resident of the area.
He also says the City police could easily tackle the issue by posting a few Red Cross volunteers or Student police Cadets during peak hours of traffic on the route.
