DHARMAPURI: To alert oncoming traffic on the dangerous curves in Thoppur Ghat Road along NH44, the NHAI has set up a special red zone in the area where accidents are frequently reported. A red zone is a highly visible section of roadway with surfaces designed to provide tactile and visual alerts, warning drivers to slow down.
In 2022, due to the high frequency of accidents on Thoppur Ghat Road, the NHAI had designated a 3.5 km stretch of the road, between Anjaneyar Temple and the twin bridge area, as a "blackspot". Subsequently, the NHAI conducted studies and identified that the road gradients in the stretch are irregular.
To fix the issue, an elevated highway at the cost of Rs 905 crore was proposed in 2023, and the construction commenced in 2025. In the meantime, the NHAI has established a separate "red zone" for a 300-metre stretch of the road.
An official from the regional transport office told TNIE that, in the last three years, the Thoppur Ghat Road has recorded over 300 accidents, with an average of 9-10 fatalities, and dozens of cases of people getting maimed. "While numerous road correction works had been undertaken, negligence and lack of awareness still contributed to accidents. Now, the NHAI, the RTO, and the toll gate staff have designated a 300-metre-long area of the road as a red zone, and marked the roads with 2-3 mm thermoplastic paint to alert drivers of the dangers of the road," added the official.
An NHAI engineer told TNIE, "The red zone, which has red markings, creates a natural sense of warning to drivers. Besides, we have set up rumble strips, cat's eye reflective LED strips in 35 locations, and audio alerts along the road. We still urge heavy vehicles and cars to maintain a speed limit of 30 kmph for safety."
