VELLORE: Two persons -- a 32-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman -- died in separate accidents over the last two days on the Katpadi Road in Thottapalayam near the Christian Medical College (CMC) Hospital.
The Vellore North Police said K Mubarak (32) from Kaspa in Vasanthapuram died after being hit by a government bus on Katpadi Road around 5.45 am on Sunday. He was a food delivery worker but was not working at the time of the accident, the police said, adding that the victim had worn a helmet, but was unsure if he had fastened the buckle.
Meanwhile, S Ashwini (28), was killed after a lorry ran her over around 8.45 am on Monday on the same road. Ashwini, working at an MRF showroom, was riding pillion on a two-wheeler with her relative, who lost control of the vehicle causing the two to fall down. According to the police, the relative was wearing a helmet, but she was not.
Stormwater drain work blamed
In the meantime, several motorists raised complaints over the unsafe road conditions, attributing the accidents to the ongoing stormwater drain (SWD) work along the road. K Mohan, a motorist, said, “The road is prone to skidding as mud is spread till the middle of the stretch at some places.”
Due to the work going on for the last few weeks, only a 10-foot-wide stretch of the road -- busy with vehicles travelling to Bagayam, Adukkamparai and to Vellore -- is available for road users. However, the traffic police attributed the accidents to overspeeding. Corporation officials were not available for comment.
Following Ashwini's death, Collector V R Subbulaxmi and Corporation officials inspected the site. A traffic police personnel told TNIE that the collector has instructed officials to expedite the stormwater drain work and until it is completed, divert heavy vehicles to the Old Bypass Road. Only two-wheelers and autorickshaws would be allowed on the lanes where the work is undertaken. Those travelling from Vellore to Bagayam and beyond can use the same route, the official added.
The collector also directed officials to implement appropriate safety measures while the work is being carried out in order to avoid inconvenience to the public.
S Kritika, a motorist, said, “The SWD work is going on without putting up barricades and it is frightening to ride through the road. Why does the district administration wait for people to die before implementing safety measures?”