TIRUCHY: Students have called for regulating traffic before a Kattur-based college after one of their peers was injured in a road accident earlier this week. M Sanjay Kumar, a BCom second-year student and a part-time autorickshaw driver, was struck by a cargo vehicle while crossing the Tiruchy- Thanjavur national highway on Tuesday.
He underwent hip and shoulder surgery in a private hospital. The Students Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest in front of the college from Wednesday to Friday, urging both the college authorities and district officials concerned to install a bus stop signal before the college and appoint a traffic cop during college hours.
They also demanded the government to take care of Sanjay's medical expenses. The stretch of the highway, which spans approximately 14.5 kilometres between Palpannai and Thuvakudi, passes through a densely populated area with over five colleges and 10 schools. Despite its high traffic volume, the highway lacks a service road, leading to numerous accidents and fatalities, alleges the students union.
Sources say approximately 2,000 students attend the college, while another 2,000 attend the adjacent Adi Dravidar boys and girls higher secondary school.
"The area lacks proper traffic management, with vehicles travelling in the wrong direction and buses stopping randomly near the college, causing chaos and compromising student safety. We urge the government to implement traffic regulations, designating bus stops, and increasing police presence to ensure the well-being of all the students," said R Mohan, SFI, Tiruchy district president.
Moreover, the accident has left the student's family with a significant financial burden. B Manikandan, father of Sanjay, a tea master by profession, said, his son is recovering.
He was shifted to normal ward from the ICU on Saturday post surgery. "The medical expenses have amounted to around Rs 6 lakh, posing a challenge for us. Students have started a collection drive and they have handed over some money.
Considering our background we hope the government will help us in any way to meet our expenses." The college principal was not available for comment. After protest by the college students and the students union, the district administration has called for a peace meeting headed by the Kattur tahsildar on Monday.