The inspection was ordered at a meeting of the District Safety Highway Task Force held at the Collectorate on September 5 in the wake of the gruesome tragedy at Kaipamangalam that claimed lives of eight engineering students. The Collector had constituted a team comprising representatives of the Motor Vehicles department, police, Local Self-Government department and NHAI to conduct a comprehensive safety inspection of all stretches of NH 66 and NH 544 passing through the district.
Deficiencies flagged
The team conducted field inspections and submitted its report, which flagged deficiencies on NH 66 including inadequate direction signs, failure to remove construction debris, shortage of warning and reflective signboards, unauthorised parking, inadequate patrolling and gaps in protective walls equipped with reflectors.Similar deficiencies were reported on NH 544 as well.
Based on the findings, the Collector directed NHAI and the departments concerned to take immediate steps to rectify the reported shortcomings. Directions were also issued to complete the construction of bus bays and remove unauthorised encroachments.
The authorities had previously issued directions to NHAI in May and June to address several of the deficiencies identified in the latest inspection.