NH 66 stretch in Thiruvananthapuram turns deadly as accidents surge
Recurring accidents on NH 66's Kazhakootam-Karode stretch have killed five in August. Overspeeding, poor lighting and absent traffic systems are blamed.
The Kazhakootam-Karode stretch of National Highway 66 in Thiruvananthapuram has emerged as a major accident hotspot, with five fatalities reported in August alone. The latest victim, 19-year-old motorcyclist Muhammed Ajas, died on August 29 after crashing into a parked KSRTC bus near Thuppanathu Kavu bus stop at Vazhamuttam.
A day earlier, 40-year-old M.J. Ratheesh Kumar of Kanjiramkulam was killed when a car that had lost control struck his motorcycle. On August 16, hotel employee R.V. Pradeep Chandran, 51, died after a speeding Tamil Nadu-registered car hit his scooter from behind near Vazhamuttam. Earlier, on August 9, two elderly sisters — Shanthamma, 62, and Vijayamma, 70 — were killed by a speeding motorcycle while crossing the highway near Karimbuvila Junction in Tiruvallam.
Investigations into a July crash that killed two IT professionals, Naveen Sibi and Mridula Ann Oommen, revealed they lost control after a speeding car grazed their motorcycle and fled the scene.
Key factors identified
Ragam Rahim, who petitioned the Human Rights Commission, pointed to overspeeding on newly completed stretches as a primary cause. In contrast, traffic crawls near ongoing flyover construction at Eenchakkal. He also noted the absence of traffic-control systems at several major junctions and called for cameras and speed detectors on vulnerable stretches.
Acting on the complaint, Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas has directed the City Police Commissioner to investigate and submit a report within a month.
Local residents and experts highlight additional issues: poor highway lighting, unscientific service roads, and competitive driving, especially at night when no systems check overspeeding. S. Shaheem, Senior Principal Scientist at NATPAC, noted that since four-laning work is incomplete, full-fledged safety measures are yet to be introduced. He flagged unscientific traffic arrangements at junctions like Tiruvallam, where two-way movement on certain stretches poses serious risks, and called for a detailed analysis of the recurring accidents.