Nedumbassery VIP Road will receive urgent safety measures after a crash that killed three people, with Kerala Police and the Motor Vehicles Department directing the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) to install rumble strips, improve signage and strengthen speed enforcement.
A team led by Aluva Rural district police chief K.S. Sudarshan, Aluva Deputy Superintendent of Police Baiju Paulose and Motor Vehicles Department inspectors G. Manojkumar and A.P. Roshan inspected the crash site at Athani–Valayapparambu. Officials from CIAL’s civil engineering division, including assistant general manager S. Shankar and engineer Thomas Jose, were also present during the inspection.
The inspection followed the fatal accident reported on the road early last Sunday. The team examined the sharp bend and the existing condition and width of the road at the crash location. Officials also checked other potentially dangerous stretches between Nedumbassery airport and the Athani signal junction, including sharp curves and hazardous U-turns.
The road has a total width of 60 metres, comprising two 25-metre carriageways and a five-metre passage for pedestrians and other users. Authorities directed that vehicle speeds be strictly controlled at sharp bends, U-turns and other risk-prone locations. CIAL was instructed to install rumble strips as an immediate measure to reduce speed.
According to the inspection findings, rumble strips can alert drivers through sound and vibration when they are drowsy or distracted. Officials directed that the strips be installed at scientifically determined locations and with appropriate spacing, particularly near curves and other accident-prone sections.
The authorities also recommended installing no-parking signs along the road and examining whether the existing speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour should be reduced. Advanced speed-control systems and cameras were proposed to detect and deter traffic violations. CIAL was further instructed to complete road maintenance works on time.
The police and Motor Vehicles Department officials found that the road’s construction quality was good and reported no potholes or other major construction defects during the inspection. The assessment indicated that speeding beyond the permitted limit was increasing the risk of crashes on the road.
Officials also directed that violations be monitored and that CIAL inform the relevant authorities in a timely manner when such breaches are detected. Further measures to strengthen safety arrangements on the road are expected to follow the inspection conducted after the three deaths.
