Kattappana: Frequent accidents at a sharp curve on a road passing 300 m above their house is giving sleepless nights to Mavunkal Thankachan and his family. The curve is located near Hilltop on the Kattappana – Puliyanmala Road in Idukki.

Several accidents took place at the curve recently involving vehicles descending a steep slope. These vehicles, including large trucks, rolled off the road and down the hill to Thankachan’s farmland, causing damage to the property. Many of them also came very close to his house.

On January 10 this year, a Taurus truck overturned at the curve above and tumbled down to a spot right next to the house. The residents were saved as a tree near the house had blocked the truck, preventing a major tragedy. The truck had destroyed the crash barriers and other safety installations on the roadside before coming to rest against the tree near the house. The truck remained on the plot for four months before the authorities took measures to shift it.

“In addition to the threat to the lives of my family members, we are unable to engage in farming activities on my land due to the multiple accidents, both major and minor, taking place regularly at the curve above my house,” said Thankachan.

“Despite submitting several written complaints to the authorities, including the Public Works Department, no action has been taken to prevent the accidents,” he added. In his letters to the authorities, Thankachan demanded a permanent solution to the crisis to help his family live safely and prevent loss of crops.