Traffic snarl continues on Thamarassery Ghat Road after truck accident

Wayanad: Traffic congestion continued on the Thamarassery Ghat Road for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, following an accident involving a heavy truck at the sixth bend.

The traffic snarl began on Tuesday morning after the truck lost control and hit the protective wall at the bend. The vehicle came to a halt dangerously close to the edge of the road, with its cabin hanging over the valley. The driver and crew escaped unhurt.

The police and fire forces took over an hour to remove the truck, during which traffic on the ghat road came to a complete standstill. Although the entry of heavy vehicles was blocked at both ends, long queues had already formed by the time traffic was restored, resulting in severe congestion throughout the day.

Experts said overtaking at bends, overspeeding and overloading were the main reasons for frequent traffic disruptions on the ghat road.

Churam Samrakshana Samithi convener Mittayi Moidu said traffic was moving slowly rather than being completely halted. He added that heavy holiday traffic, with tourists heading to Wayanad for Christmas and New Year vacations, worsened the congestion.

Meanwhile, the Ghat Road Green Brigade, a local volunteer group, submitted a memorandum to Kozhikode District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, seeking urgent steps to regulate the movement of heavy vehicles during the festive season.

The group said multi-axle vehicles, which find it difficult to negotiate sharp bends even with escorts, were causing major traffic blocks. It demanded that such vehicles be diverted during the festival period to ensure smooth traffic flow on the Thamarassery Ghat Road.