Kovalam-Kollam stretch all set to be ‘model road

Arjun RaghunathFirst Published : 21 Dec 2009 07:08:39 AM ISTLast Updated : 21 Dec 2009 08:18:34 AM IST

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Distractive advertisement hoardings will make way for more traffic signboards along the 70 kilometre-long Kovalam-Kollam stretch of National Highway-47 with the busy artery all set to be declared a `Model Road.’


In order to ensure that the road remains a model one, every 2 km of the stretch will have a police officer responsible for road safety. The Government has sanctioned around Rs 3 crore for putting up signboards and other road safety mechanisms along this stretch.

A task force constituted by the State Government for the purpose pointed out that certain advertisements boards and hoardings put up by commercial organisations and political parties along the stretch are distracting drivers, which is one major reason for accidents. Based on the recommendation of the task force, steps are being taken by the Government to remove all such hoardings by invoking various provisions in the Motor Vehicles Act and Kerala Highway Protection Act.

The task force headed by IG Thiruvananthapuram-range A Hemachandran also suggested that the number of Highway Patrols in charge of the stretch may be increased from three to four. Altogether, there would be 36 police personnel in the four Highway Patrols and each one of them are being given charge of about two kilometres of the road stretch. Designated as Road Safety Officers (RSO), they would be responsible for ensuring that all road safety mechanisms along the stretch assigned to them function effectively. The RSO may also constitute a ten-member Road Safety Group with people from the locality for the purpose.

The task force had identified 11 insufficiently-lit spots along the stretch. The Government has directed the KSEB to install sufficient streetlights at these points. The Public Works Department has been directed to install bumps on all sideroads of the National Highway between Kovalam and Kollam.

The other measures being taken to make the stretch a model road include clearing up of vegetation on the margins of the the road and conducting traffic awareness programmes at various levels.

Pointing out that the enforcement of traffic rules by the police often leads to traffic obstruction and other problems, the task force recommends installation of speed radars and surveillance cameras along the stretch in due course. The Government is also learnt to have sanctioned Rs 1 crore for installing surveillance cameras at 14 spots along the 70-km stretch.

Delay in getting medical attention had led to deaths of several accident victims along the stretch.

In order to tackle this, the task force recommended that the service of drivers of autorickshaws and taxis which ply along the National Highway should be utilised for addressing the issue.

Dr Mahesh Chand of NATPAC, Deputy Transport Commissioner Alex Paul and Executive Engineers George C. Varghese and Koshy John of Public Works Department are other members in the task force.