A joint meeting of the District Collectors of Kozhikode and Wayanad districts on Friday decided to ban parking on the 12-km-long Thamarassery Ghat Road from November 1 as part of efforts to reduce traffic congestion on the stretch and prevent the dumping of waste by goods-carriers. Parking arrangements will be made at Lakkidi for those who want to enjoy tourist viewpoints on the route.
Private hoardings will not be allowed on the stretch. All existing hoardings, and illegal constructions and shops near the fourth hairpin bend will be removed. Based on the Collectors’ meeting, a separate draft plan will be prepared shortly to ensure eco-friendly construction of buildings in the area.
Kozhikode Collector U.V. Jose, who initiated the joint meeting, said a separate meeting with the participation of Forest and Public Works Department Ministers would be convened in the city to secure work permit from the Forest Department for the extension of the road in identified stretches.
Only below one hectare of land would be needed for the work and the State government would take a decision on the same, he said.
Mr. Jose said the State government had earmarked ₹75 crore for the construction of an alternative road to Wayanad.
However, the project would turn a reality only if the acquisition of required forest land in some stretches was completed, he added.
To solve the issue of dumping of waste along the road, the meeting directed the Kozhikode Rural police to examine the feasibility of installing closed circuit television cameras in areas that come under their jurisdiction.
The Kozhikode district panchayat and the District Tourism Promotion Council were asked to find the required funds for the project. Wayanad Collector S. Suhas said the fund for the installation of surveillance cameras in Wayanad district limits would be borne jointly by the Wayanad district panchayat and the Wayanad Tourism Promotion Council.
Local body representatives who attended the meeting called for the opening of an exclusive Fire and Rescue Services unit and a medical unit at Adivaram to attend to accidents on the road. M.I. Shanawaz, MP, who attended the meeting, said he would sanction ₹10 lakh from his local development fund to set up a weigh bridge at Adivaram to restrict the entry of overloaded trucks to the road. Earlier, local body members had pointed out that the entry of overloaded trucks was causing severe damage to the road and increasing the risk of accidents.
