Kerala Calls Emergency Meet After Spate of Fatal Accidents

In response to a series of fatal road accidents across Kerala over the past few days, the state government has convened an emergency meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. The meeting, chaired by Public Works Minister P.K. Basheer, will bring together the Director General of Police, the Transport Commissioner, the state head of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), officials from the National Transportation Planning & Research Centre (NATPAC), the Kerala Road Safety Authority, and all District Collectors.

The session, scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Legislative Assembly Complex, will focus on identifying the causes of accidents on major roads and national highways. Discussions will cover emergency measures to bolster road safety, improve traffic control, and enhance road maintenance. The government also aims to ensure better coordination among departments and enforce strict implementation of safety protocols.

Separately, Alappuzha District Collector Shaji V. Nair chaired a meeting that decided to conduct a comprehensive safety audit of the national highway network in the district. Three task force teams will begin inspections from Tuesday morning at 9 a.m., covering stretches from Aroor southward, Thottapally northward, and Ochira northward.

These task forces, formed as per Supreme Court directives, will conduct weekly inspections and are empowered to remove illegal parking, encroachments, and unauthorized barricades. The Collector stated that immediate steps will be taken to improve security arrangements, and monthly review meetings will track progress.