RAMANATHAPURAM: Road accidents have declined significantly in Ramanathapuram following intensified enforcement, targeted road-safety interventions and improved emergency response, according to district police officials.
Police data show a 15% decline in fatal accidents, from 410 cases in 2024 to 365 in 2025. Officials said the trend has continued in 2026, with reported road accidents falling to fewer than four a day and fatal accidents to one or less, compared to six to seven cases per day earlier.
According to police, a multi-pronged strategy covering enforcement, road engineering, surveillance, emergency response and public awareness was implemented across the district. As part of the initiative, 89 accident-prone locations and 20 key junctions were identified for focused intervention.
A total of 1,957 road and highway lights were installed or repaired, including 921 new lights and 1,036 repaired units. Besides, 220 solar blinkers were installed at 20 major junctions and seven solar-powered speed display boards were placed at accident hotspots.
To strengthen surveillance and enforcement, 21 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras installed at 10 major junctions were connected to the district police control room.
The department also deployed 90 retractable barricades and 100 traffic cones, besides providing personnel with rechargeable baton lights and high-visibility reflective gear. Signboards, zebra crossings and other road-safety infrastructure were installed at vulnerable locations.
Five Highway Patrol and seven Town Patrol units have been deployed continuously. Patrol personnel were trained in first aid to provide immediate assistance at accident scenes. The district has 29 operational ambulances, including six Advanced Life Support units, with the average emergency response time reduced to 8 minutes and 35 seconds, police said.
Awareness campaigns were also conducted in villages to prevent stray cattle from entering highways at night, with reflective stickers affixed to cattle. Road-safety billboards and accident-damaged vehicles were displayed at prominent locations to warn motorists against rash driving and overspeeding.
A road-safety activist said stray cattle continue to pose a serious threat to motorists during night hours.“Reflective stickers on cattle and awareness campaigns are useful, but they can only provide a temporary solution. The authorities must ensure effective control of stray cattle and prevent them from entering highways. Regular patrolling and prompt removal of cattle from accident-prone stretches are essential to prevent crashes,” activist K Sathya Vignesh said.