Container Road still a death trap for motorists

The death of a young woman, who was run over by a container lorry at Ponnarimangalam on Friday, reveals that the Container Terminal Road, connecting Kalamassery to Vallarpadam, is yet to shed its accident-prone tag. Liby V.K., a senior clerk of the Kochi Corporation from Varapuzha, was the latest victim in a series of accidents that have for long left the 16-km stretch a nightmare for motorists, especially two-wheeler riders.

Traffic congestion on Goshree bridges, lack of adequate streetlights and alleged unscientific road and junction designs are cited by local people as the major causes behind the accidents. Unregulated movement of vehicles and parking of container lorries along the road add to the problem, they say.

“Accidents have been happening frequently on the stretch but only fatal ones get public attention. It is learnt that in the latest incident, which claimed a woman’s life, lack of adequate light and reckless riding of container lorries played a role,” Abhijith John of Nerkazhcha Vedhi, a civic forum, says.

“Though streetlights were installed along the road two months ago, almost a decade after the road was built, the stretch between Cheranalloor Junction and Bolghatty Junction remains unlit. The stretch has also become home to a large number of stray dogs. The dogs jump in front of bikes which then skid off,” Mr. John adds.

A 22-year-old youth was killed in 2019 on the road when he fell off his bike as he attempted to evade a sudden crossing stray dog. The youth was run over by a truck going in the same direction.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has, meanwhile, blamed the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) for not providing connection to the streetlights installed by it.

“All lights have been installed by us. The KSEB has sought more transformers to charge them but it is not in our scope,” an NHAI source says

The KSEB had earlier made it clear that charging the entire fleet of streetlights required around six transformers, of which only two were operational. The remaining lights have not been charged as the existing transformers are already overloaded.