Traffic restrictions imposed on heavy goods vehicles on Wayanad ghat road

Wayanad: Traffic restrictions have been imposed for heavy transport vehicles on the ghat road connecting the districts of Kozhikode and Wayanad in order to decongest the route that witnesses frequent snarl-ups.

Kozhikode District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh on Saturday issued an order prohibiting heavy transport vehicles from using the ghat road between 3 pm and 9 pm on all public holidays and from 6 am to 9 am on Mondays.

The ghat road, which is populary called the Wayanad Ghat Road, falls under the jurisdiction of the Kozhikode district collector. The restrictions will apply to tipper trucks with more than six wheels, transport vehicles with more than 10 wheels and other heavy and multi-axle vehicles, said the collector in a press release.

The Thamarasseery Police has bee directed to ensure the availability of crane operators, mechanics, drivers of tugging vehicles and JCB operators to clear the snarl-ups on the ghat road mostly in the event of accidents. The traffic police have been instructed to slap heavy fines for illegal parking on the ghat road.

The State Human Rights Commission had ordered the district collectors and district police chiefs of Wayanad and Kozhikode to take appropriate action as soon as possible and table a report at the next sitting of the panel.

On Sunday (October 22), during the Pooja holidays, vehicles were stuck in traffic for more than six hours after a heavy vehicle was stranded at a curve. The ghat road, a 9-km stretch on National Highway 766, witnesses a steady flow of tourists that spikes during holidays.