Malappuram: Malappuram District Collector V R Vinod has urged the public to avoid the collapsed six-lane highway stretch at Kooriyad, warning against treating the disaster site as a tourist attraction. He stressed that increased footfall could cause further accidents.

The collector said discussions with the NHAI regarding the incident would resume soon. He assured that traffic regulations will be implemented without disrupting public movement. The NHAI has indicated that the service road on the right side of the highway may be opened once pending repairs are completed.

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways earlier said that the contractor committed serious errors during the construction of the highway. Investigations found that the land condition was not adequately assessed and land reinforcement was neglected.

A three-member expert team, including a retired IIT professor, recently inspected the site and submitted a report to the ministry. Based on the findings, the contracting company has been debarred and responsible officials have been suspended.