Thrissur: In an urgent meeting convened at the Thrissur collectorate soon after the bus accident in Kanimangalam on Friday morning that left 40-odd passengers hurt, district authorities decided to serve a showcause notice to the firm - Gawar-Atcon JV - carrying out the road work where the mishap took place.
The meeting, chaired by the revenue minister K Rajan, assessed that the road work is not being done swiftly and signboards cautioning the work activities were missing in the area.
It was decided in the meeting that the road works – halted at present due to reasons known only to the authorities – will resume on Saturday morning.
A meeting of bus owners and others will be held at the collectorate under the leadership of the assistant commissioner of police (traffic - Thrissur city) to discuss the traffic regulations for the smooth conduct of road works; installation of sign boards, filling potholes and making alternative routes for vehicular movement will be completed by Saturday morning.
“The collector who is also the chairman of the district road transport authority (RTA) has been directed to serve a showcause notice under the provision of the Disaster Management Act to the firm carrying out road works. It has also been decided to ensure that the works up to Koorkenchery would be completed in 45 days,” said an official who was part of the meeting.
Apart from the minister, the meeting was attended by the collector, people’s representatives, police and motor vehicle officers and representatives of the road works contract firm.
On Friday, around 8.25 am, 'Christ', a privately owned bus servicing the Ammadam-Thrissur stretch overturned near Kanimangalam on the Thrissur-Kodungallur road injuring over 40 people.
“One person identified as Vijayakumari is critical. She got stuck in between the seats when the bus overturned. At least four others had fractures; 43 people were brought to our hospital and most of them had minor injuries; they have been discharged after administering first-aid,” said an official from the Elite Hospital, Thrissur, where majority of the injured were brought in. A few were rushed to Jubilee Mission Hospital and Thrissur General Hospital as well.
Nedupuzha police sub inspector Nelson C S told Onmanorama that they were able to carry out the rescue operations immediately. “Had the bus overturned into the kole paddy fields a couple of metres away, it would have been a disaster,” the officer said.
Eyewitnesses said the accident took place when the bus was on the way up from the main road to a minor road. The road is concreted on one side; the concrete is around four feet higher than the other side. The bus could have overturned on the slope of the concrete road. The vehicle was plying at a normal speed; the majority of the passengers were students.
Following the accident, there was traffic congestion in the area. The cops cleared the traffic after the bus was lifted using a crane around 10 am. The crew of the vehicle told the police that the axle of the bus broke, which resulted in the accident.
Revenue minister K Rajan, Thrissur collector Ravi Teja and other senior officials reached the spot and led the rescue operations.
Traffic control on Thrissur-Kodungallur road from Saturday
Vehicles heading from Thrissur to Kodungallur are to ply on the side of the road where the construction is completed.
Privately owned and public transport vehicles heading towards Thrissur shall take a right turn after Palakkal Kanimangalam Bridge and travel through Nasrani Bridge-Chiyyaram Junction-Althara Junction- Koorkenchery Junction-Kokkalai route to enter Thrissur city.
Goods vehicles coming from Kodungallur to Thrissur shall reach the city via Poochinnipadam Junction-Anakallu-Ollur route.
