Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Road Safety Authority has approved special road safety projects worth ₹13.88 crore ahead of the Sabarimala pilgrimage season, Transport Minister C P John said. The measures aim to ensure safer, smoother travel for pilgrims and the public.

The Public Works Department (PWD) will implement the projects. The Road Safety Fund has sanctioned ₹13.19 crore for 60 works proposed by the Chief Engineer, PWD Roads Division, and ₹69.79 lakh for projects submitted by the Pathanamthitta District Road Safety Council.

W-beam metal crash barriers will be installed at sharp bends and stretches overlooking deep drops to reduce the risk of accidents. Measures to improve night-time visibility will include prismatic road studs, thermoplastic line markings, intensity tapes, object hazard markers and chevron curve indicators.

Major junctions will get solar signal systems and blinkers, while direction boards, convex mirrors and accident warning systems will also be installed. The project also covers road maintenance and surface drainage works.

The measures will be implemented along Sabarimala pilgrimage routes under five PWD divisions - Idukki, Kollam, Kottayam, Moovattupuzha and Pathanamthitta - besides the Ponkunnam and Kottarakkara Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) divisions.

John said completing the urgent works before the pilgrimage season would help ensure safe travel for lakhs of pilgrims, including those arriving from other states.