Wayanad: Commuters experienced significant delays at Wayanad Ghat road after a KSRTC bus and a truck got stranded, causing traffic jams for over five hours.
The KSRTC bus got struck around 9:30 am on Wednesday at the sixth bend. Although a previously stuck truck, affected by mechanical trouble, resumed its journey at 10 am, the bus continued to block the busy Kozhikode-Kollegal National Highway (NH 766), leaving hundreds of vehicles trapped a traffic snarl-up between Lakkidy and Adivaram.
The Churam Samrakshana Samithi, a local volunteer group, actively worked to manage the situation along with local police officials. According to Samithi president Moidu Muttayi, the KSRTC officials' delayed response exacerbated the issue. The corporation's mechanical team from Thamarassery depot took over two hours to reach the spot. The traffic in the Ghat road is expected to return to normal by the evening.
Political parties and local residents have been demanding better connectivity such as a proposed tunnel and other alternate routes for a long time to ease the regular traffic chaos on the Ghat road.
Earlier, Kozhikode District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh had issued traffic restrictions to manage holiday congestion, limiting the movement of large vehicles at specific times. It was alleged that the police are yet to act strictly to implement these orders.
Residents, passengers and volunteers have urged the Kozhikode district administration and police for immediate solutions for the frequent traffic jams, including quick vehicle repair services and ready access to mechanical experts.
