Panakkad landslip: traffic reopening put off to Friday amid rain alert
The district administration on Thursday deferred a decision on reopening the Vengara-Malappuram road until Friday due to the orange alert issued for the district. The
The district administration on Thursday deferred a decision on reopening the Vengara-Malappuram road until Friday due to the orange alert issued for the district. The road was closed after a landslip at Edayippalam near Panakkad on Monday. An expert committee comprising officials from Geology, Soil Conservation, Motor Vehicles, Police, Local Self-Government, Fire and Rescue Services, Public Works and Disaster Management departments, along with a hazard analyst, inspected the site on Thursday. Officials said the road was cleared and was motorable. However, experts warned that the slope could become unstable if heavy rain continued as the waterlogged soil might lose strength.
A section of the hill collapsed on Monday, sending mud, trees, and boulders onto the road and into the Kadalundipuzha river. Several people, including journalists covering the incident, had a narrow escape. Around 20 houses near the site were evacuated as a precaution. The area is around 200 metres from the residence of Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty. Officials said soil movement in the area was being monitored. Debris removal began on Tuesday. Four earthmovers and 47 lorries removed 238 truckloads of earth on the day, while three earthmovers and 23 lorries cleared another 135 truckloads on Wednesday.
A total of 373 truckloads of earth were removed from the road. Fire and Rescue Services personnel led by Malappuram station officer M. Abdul Gafoor cleared drains and washed away slush using two fire engines and a mobile tank unit. Civil Defence, Apda Mitra volunteers, and other organisations assisted the operation. District Collector Vinay Goyal on Thursday felicitated Fire and Rescue Services personnel and volunteers involved in the clearance work. Meanwhile, the district administration decided to act against illegal laterite and granite quarries following the incident.
Joint teams from Geology, Police and Revenue departments will inspect quarries, prevent unauthorised earth excavation, and identify constructions without permits. Round-the-clock check-posts will be set up to inspect vehicles, including tipper lorries carrying quarry materials. Encroachments along State and national highways will also be identified and removed.
The BriefWire