Following the hazardous curve on Sahodaran Ayyappan Road near metro pillar number 825 in Elamkulam, another critical section of the metro corridor near the bustling Chambakkara fish market has become a site of frequent accidents, intensifying demands for urgent safety interventions.
Accident-Prone Zone Near Metro Pillar 953
The area around metro pillar number 953 on the Chambakkara-Petta stretch has emerged as a high-risk accident zone. According to Vytilla councillor V P Chandran, pick-up vans are often parked illegally on the roadside along the bridge during early morning hours. Vehicles speeding down the bridge, combined with a smooth road surface that becomes slippery due to wastewater from fish-carrying vehicles, create dangerous conditions.
Recent Tragic Incidents
A young man named Hormis Mathew lost his life last Thursday at 1:45 am when his two-wheeler collided with the median near this location. On Tuesday morning, a car accident occurred near the same pillar. Police reports indicate that a fish truck illegally parked on the roadside suddenly reversed, causing a driver descending the bridge to lose control of his vehicle.
Chandran noted that accidents have been increasing steadily. Last year, three fatalities were recorded in this area. Most accidents happen at night, suggesting issues with visibility and road design. Despite sending a letter to the Public Works Department (PWD) and Kochi Metro authorities in October last year demanding safety measures like proper lighting, reflectors on metro pillars, and clear signage, no action has been taken so far.
Demand for Proven Safety Measures
Councillor Chandran urged authorities to implement measures similar to those adopted at Elamkulam over a year ago. Those measures included installing warning signages and scraping asphalt using machines to improve traction on the road. He also called for redesigning the unscientific U-turn before Chambakkara market.
Local resident Joseph P K emphasized the need to fulfill the long-standing promise of constructing an underpass connecting the far side of the road to the fish market. He pointed out that illegal parking of fish vehicles is a major cause of accidents, and an underpass would allow direct entry to the market, reducing roadside parking.
Rajesh, a restaurant owner, highlighted the sudden multiple curves as another contributing factor. He stated that there is sufficient road width to ease the curves and urged PWD to intervene to make the stretch safe.
