KRISHNAGIRI: Rumble strips near the Dargah area in Hosur are posing a threat to motorists on the Krishnagiri-Bengaluru NH, causing frequent accidents.
The rumble strips were laid a few months ago to prevent accidents. On April 3, J Lokesh (28) of Vellore, who works as a cleaner in a lorry, was heading to Bengaluru from Gudiyattam at night. While near the Dargah area, a load vehicle in front applied brakes suddenly due to the rumble strips and the lorry tailing behind rear-ended the vehicle in front. Lokesh fell from the lorry and was run over.
S Sathish Kumar (43), a private company employee of Hosur, who regularly travels to his workplace at Zuzuvadi on a motorcycle, was returning home the last week of March after work. When he was approaching Dargah, a car suddenly applied brakes near the rumble strips. Sathish Kumar, who was tailing behind the car, survived, but his left leg was injured, he told TNIE.
"Rumble strips should be removed. After an earlier accident, rumble strips were partially removed, but they should be fully removed," he said.
A Thomas John (54), a businessman from Hosur who regularly travels via Dargah, added, "Speed breakers or rumble strips should prevent accidents, but here they are causing accidents. There are also no cautionary boards about the rumble strips. If NHAI wants to prevent accidents near Dargah, they should construct a foot-overbridge. Further, encroachments on the service road from Zuzuvadi to Ashok Leyland should also be removed."
NHAI Krishnagiri project director, Ramesh, said, "All rumble strips will be removed soon near Dargah. The need for a foot overbridge will be considered."