Unsafe driving practices raise concerns on newly widened NH 66 in Kozhikode

Despite frequent safety warnings issued by the police and the Motor Vehicles department (MVD), abrupt lane changing and indiscriminate overtaking by some motorists have once again begun endangering road users on the newly widened National Highway 66 in Kozhikode district. In the absence of spot enforcement, the right lane, meant for overtaking, continues to be used as a cruising lane by many motorists.

Passengers cite the illegal entry of private buses into the prohibited stretch of the widened national highway as one of the biggest threats to the safety of other light motor vehicles on the six-lane road. Speed-limit violations by heavy vehicles at entry and exit points connected to the high-speed corridor also continue to go undetected

“A few months ago, highway squads conducted regular patrols to detect illegal parking along the highway. With surveillance declining, several stretches have turned into illegal parking spots, endangering other vehicles travelling at high speeds,” says C.P. Vineeth, an executive working near the Pantheerankavu toll plaza on FASTag activation. He points out that motorcycle riders account for most such unexpected obstructions.

A retired traffic police officer who frequently travels between Kozhikode and Kannur points out that many drivers are yet to familiarise themselves with the safety rules governing the six-lane highway. Sudden lane changes and speed-limit violations have emerged as life-threatening problems on the renovated road, he adds.

Delays in removing broken-down vehicles and those involved in accidents also pose a threat to road safety. Gopinath Pulikkal, a recovery van operator, says no accident helpline numbers are displayed along the highway to assist road users in distress. According to him, many people are forced to wait for hours for assistance owing to the delay in obtaining permission from the authorities to display helpline numbers.

“The illegal parking of heavy goods vehicles along the Koyilandy–Vadakara stretch of the national highway continues unchecked. When residents questioned drivers about the unsafe practice, they blamed the authorities for failing to provide dedicated parking facilities for inter-State goods vehicles,” says Sadik Ali, an employee at a petrol pump in Koyilandy. He points out that local police personnel on night patrol rarely act against such unsafe parking.

Meanwhile, officials of the MVD and the highway enforcement squad say an intensified action plan is being prepared to detect irresponsible driving on the national highway using interceptor vehicles fitted with radar cameras. They add that efforts are under way to activate all surveillance cameras along the completed stretches of the highway in the wake of recurring violations.