Kazhakootam-Karode stretch turns accident hotspot

Recurring accidents on the Kazhakoottam-Karode stretch of National Highway 66 (NH 66) have raised serious concerns over road safety, with overspeeding on some stretches and the lack of traffic-control systems at several major junctions emerging as key factors behind the mishaps. In the latest incident, 19-year-old motorcyclist Muhammed Ajas died on the spot on August 29 after his motorcycle rammed into the rear of a parked KSRTC bus near the Thuppanathu Kavu bus stop at Vazhamuttam. A day earlier, 40-year-old M.J. Ratheesh Kumar, a native of Kanjiramkulam, was killed after a car that had lost control hit his motorcycle on the Kazhakootam-Karode National Highway.In another freak accident on August 16, 51-year-old hotel employee R.V. Pradeep Chandran was killed in the early hours of the day when a speeding car bearing a Tamil Nadu registration number hit his scooter from behind near Vazhamuttam. On August 9, two elderly sisters, Shanthamma, 62, and Vijayamma, 70, lost their lives after being struck by a speeding motorcycle while attempting to cross the highway early in the morning near Karimbuvila Junction in Tiruvallam. A police investigation into the deaths of two IT professionals, Naveen Sibi, 25, and Mridula Ann Oommen, 25, after the motorcycle they were riding hit the divider near Tiruvallam in July, revealed that they had lost control of the vehicle after a speeding car grazed their motorcycle before fleeing the scene.OverspeedingAccording to Ragam Rahim, who approached the Human Rights Commission seeking an investigation into the reasons for the increase in traffic accidents on the Kazhakootam-Karode stretch of NH 66, overspeeding on newly completed stretches, even as traffic crawls at a snail’s pace in areas where flyover construction is still under way including at Eenchakkal, is one of the main reasons for the rising number of accidents.Compounding the woes of motorists and the public, there are no systems in place at many major junctions to regulate traffic. The authorities should install cameras and speed detectors at vulnerable stretches to ensure that traffic violations are detected and offenders are punished, he said. Acting on his complaint, Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas the other day directed the City Police Commissioner to investigate the reasons for the spurt in traffic accidents along the stretch and submit a report within a month.Poor lighting on the highway, unscientific service roads, speeding, and competitive driving are among the other factors contributing to the recurring accidents. According to local residents, there are no systems in place to check overspeeding, especially at night, or to prevent traffic violations during the night, which also contribute to accidents.Speaking to The Hindu, S. Shaheem, Senior Principal Scientist, Transportation Planning, at the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC), said that, as the four-laning work is still progressing, no full-fledged road safety measures have been introduced along the stretch.Furthermore, the unscientific traffic arrangements at several junctions, including Tiruvallam, where traffic is forced to move in two directions along certain stretches, pose a serious threat to the safety of motorists, he said, while emphasising the need to hold a detailed analysis to check the recurring accidents. Published - August 31, 2026 11:52 pm IST