A collective sense of dread hangs over commuters travelling through Kunnamkulam. Following a recent horrific private bus accident that claimed two lives, the local population is asking a singular, burning question: why are these vehicles allowed to run amok at lethal speeds?

The Choondal-Kuttippuram state highway, particularly the newly upgraded Kallupuram-Kunnamkulam stretch, has fast transformed into an accident hotspot. Spanning a mere ten kilometres, navigating this route has become a daily gamble with death, as minor and major accidents occur here with frightening regularity.

Tragedy has struck families repeatedly along this short highway. Only a few days ago, a 24-year-old motorcyclist was crushed to death by a speeding lorry at Akkikavu.

This followed another shocking incident where a state-run KSRTC bus veered out of control and rammed into a shuttered roadside shop, killing the driver on the spot and injuring ten passengers. Many of those severely injured in the crash that occurred on Thursday are still fighting for their lives in various hospitals.

A breakdown of basic road safety infrastructure
Despite the mounting toll of casualties, the authorities have demonstrated a shocking apathy toward installing basic safety measures. Crucial traffic signals at Perumpilavu Junction and Akkikavu, designed to regulate high-speed transit, have been defunct for months.

Although the road was upgraded recently, dangerous, deep ditches remain unpaved along the shoulders. Essential safety components—including zebra crossings, warning signs, speed-detection cameras, and reflective markers for night driving—are virtually non-existent, leaving commuters completely vulnerable to hazardous conditions.

Unexplained speed and administrative apathy
What puzzles regular commuters is that overall traffic congestion and the volume of private buses on this route have actually decreased of late. Yet, the reckless speed continues unabated. Drivers whisper that a segment of bus operators continues to demand adherence to tight, unrealistic timetables, forcing them to speed.

Despite these systemic violations, the local police and the Motor Vehicles Department enforcement teams have failed to conduct routine inspections or clamp down on the rash driving, leaving the public at the mercy of speed demons.