Mudslide: Wayanad Collector bans vehicular movement on Thamarassery ghat road

Thamarassery: Wayanad District Collector DR Meghasree has issued an order prohibiting vehicular movement on the Thamarassery Ghat Road, also known as the Wayanad Ghat Road, after a massive mudslide occurred near the 9th curve, close to the Lakkidi viewpoint, around 7 pm on Tuesday. The order comes amid earlier speculations of a partial restoration of traffic on this stretch of National Highway 766, which connects Kerala to Karnataka.

The Collector told the media that the ghat road will be reopened for traffic only after experts, including geologists, inspect the site and give clearance.

T Siddique, MLA, told reporters that advanced machinery such as compressors should be brought to the site to break down the massive rocks.

" Only the vehicles that were stuck a few metres away from the accident site were allowed to move. Vehicles heading towards Kozhikode as well as Wayanad are being diverted via the Kuttiady Ghat,” he said.

Passengers have been advised to travel via the Kuttiady Ghat Road or the Nadukani Ghat Road through Nilambur and the Nadukani–Gudalur route. KSRTC has already diverted its services through the Kuttiady route, while vehicles stranded at Vythiri have also been rerouted.

Police, Fire and Rescue personnel, along with Churam Samrakshana Samithi volunteers rushed to the spot to clear the mud, uprooted trees, and boulders from the road. Once, the debris is cleared, only one-way traffic will be allowed temporarily to facilitate the movement of vehicles trapped between Adivaram and Lakkidi.

No regular traffic will be permitted on the route until engineers from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) inspect the site and issue clearance for restoration.

Meanwhile, Churam Samrakshana Samithi volunteers have urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel tonight, even on alternative routes.

“If all these vehicles start moving through the other ghat roads, traffic congestion will worsen everywhere,” they cautioned in a video message from the site.

The situation remains unpredictable as minor earth slips continue to occur, even as efforts are underway to remove debris and break down massive boulders.

Following the mudslide, traffic was blocked from Adivaram to Thamarassery. Police rushed to the spot and diverted vehicles to alternative routes. According to witnesses, many commuters had a narrow escape as the mudslide occurred during peak hours.