Ministers promise strict action to ensure road safety
The State government will fully bear the medical expenses for all those injured in the road accident at Nileshwaram in Kottarakara, Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunath
The State government will fully bear the medical expenses for all those injured in the road accident at Nileshwaram in Kottarakara, Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunath said on Tuesday. Speaking to the media at the accident site alongside Labour Minister Bindu Krishna and Kodikunnil Suresh, MP, he added that granting financial compensation to the families of the deceased is under the active consideration of the government. “The matter will be brought to the immediate attention of the Chief Minister, and official clearance will be sought in the upcoming cabinet meeting,” he said.
Describing the accident that claimed three lives as deeply shocking, Mr Vishnunath observed that preliminary police investigations point to excessive speeding by the tipper lorry as the primary cause of the disaster. He assured that a rigorous, comprehensive investigation is under way by the police to determine the exact sequence of events and regulatory gaps. “The government is viewing the growing public anxiety regarding the unregulated operations of tipper lorries with utmost seriousness. Road safety, particularly the safety of school students and pedestrians, remains a top priority for the government,” he said promising that decisive measures will be implemented swiftly to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
Speaking on the regulatory loopholes exposed by the Kottarakara crash, Ms. Bindu Krishna said that the State government will take stringent measures to curb the excessive speeding of tipper lorries and prevent the recurring accidents caused by them. “Legal action will be initiated against heavy vehicle operators who bypass the safety restrictions enforced by various government departments. Despite explicit bans prohibiting heavily loaded vehicles from operating during peak school hours, the continuous movement of these heavy trucks poses a severe threat to public safety.
The government will proactively implement all necessary precautionary measures to ensure such a tragedy never occurs again,” she said. The Ministers later visited the Kottarakara Taluk Hospital to interact with the injured victims and review the specialized medical care being provided to them.