The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the Public Works (National Highway) chief engineer to look into the demand for putting up streetlights on the median on the Neeramankara-Pravachambalam corridor of the Karamana-Kaliyikkavila stretch of NH 66.
The commission’s demand follows setting up of streetlights on the median on the Pravachambalam-Kodinada corridor on the same stretch. The Neeramankara-Pravachambalam corridor is the first stretch of the Karamana-Kaliyikkavila road. Commission chairperson Antony Dominic in his notice to the official sought a report within four weeks.
A complaint from activist Santhivila Padmakumar said the national highway that passed Kaimanam, Pappanamcode, Karakkamandapam, and Nemom junctions was a gateway to Tamil Nadu. The Public Works department had completely neglected the Neeramankara-Pravachambalam divider. The plants on the median had grown so much that it was not possible to cross the road. In the absence of streetlights, crossing the road at night led to accidents. Many people had lost their lives here. However, the median on the Pravachambalam-Balaramapuram was being maintained properly, the complaint said.
