COIMBATORE : A total of 21 accidents, including four fatal ones, were reported since January this year in the 27-km stretch of Salem-Kochi National Highway (known as L&T Bypass) that comes under Coimbatore district. Police have turned to social media influencers to sensitise youth to road safety.
According to numbers shared by Coimbatore district police, 680 fatal accidents took place in the Coimbatore District (Rural) limit in 2023, and 711 motorists lost their lives. This includes 120 fatalities on the L&T bypass road from Madukkarai to Neelambur. Half of the victims were aged below 24. In 2022, 712 fatal accidents were reported and 787 people died in the rural limits. Of these 55 people died on L&T bypass road.
Police sources said the two-lane stretch between Neelambur and Madukkarai is narrow which results in fatal accidents often. A police officer attached to the highway patrolling wing said the bypass is mostly used by trucks and passenger vehicles travelling to Bengaluru or Chennai from Kerala and Coimbatore. Several educational institutions are situated on both sides of the road. But the road’s infrastructure has not kept pace with the rate of growth in traffic.
The narrow-two-lane road does not have a median as it poses a risk to overtaking vehicles. Around five places have been marked as black spots where accidents are and fatalities are reported frequently.
Superintendent of Police V Badrinarayanan said social media influencers must educate their followers, especially youth, by posting content highlighting the consequences of speeding.
Explaining measures impemented to improve road safety in the stretch, Badrinarayanan said “Out of 27 kilometres, around 21 kilometres fall under the rural police limit and we have intensified the patrolling and vehicle checking in the evenings. Once in 15 days, we conduct road safety awareness programmes between Neelambur and Eachanari (Karpagam junction). Also, we plan to install speed governance cameras as they identify and penalize the violators that could help in controlling the vehicle’s speed. In addition to infrastructure improvements, raising awareness among the public, particularly young people is vital to reducing accidents on the L&T Bypass road.”
During his meeting with social media influencers last week, the SP highlighted the death figures. “We asked social media influencers to post content highlighting the consequences of speeding on the stretch and making every follower aware of road safety. By educating their followers about road safety, these influencers can contribute to a positive change in behaviour and reduce accidents,” he added.
Senior police officials have taken up with the district administration the need to widen the road. Further, sources said the National Highways (NH) wing of the State Highways department has sent a proposal to the Ministry of Road Transports and Highways (MoRTH) to upgrade the stretch into six-lane road.