PWD and State Highways Minister E.V.Velu said that since 2018, a total of 557 road accidents have occurred in the Nilgiris, leading to the deaths of 84 people and injuries to 344 others.
Mr. Velu, who was in the district to chair a review meeting to discuss measures that can be taken to improve road safety, said that a total of 1,039 km. of roads in the Nilgiris are maintained by the State Highways Department and 108 km. of roads by the National Highways Department. He said that a total of 50 accident-prone zones have been identified along these roads, as well as nine areas which are highly prone to accident. Out of the nine, seven of these areas are in the national highways and two are along state highways, he said.
The Minister said that as part of the initiative taken by the State government to save lives of people injured in road accidents, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had launched the Innuyir Kappom scheme. Under the scheme, the government will cover up to ₹1 lakh in medical expenses for 81 life-saving procedures. The scheme was launched to ensure that victims have the maximum chance of survival within the “Golden Hour” since the time of the accident.
Since its launch, the State government has spent more than ₹26 lakh for accident victims under the scheme, said Mr. Velu. One person from the Nilgiris, who is undergoing treatment in Coimbatore, has also benefited under the scheme, he added.
Mr. Velu also said that retaining walls and road expansion for safety-related reasons and other measures were being undertaken along the areas which have been designated as being prone to accidents. These stretches of roads include portions of Kalhatti Ghat Road, as well as the stretch between Kotagiri and Kodanad. Mr. Velu said that the government had also announced prizes to commemorate the districts across the State which record the fewest number of accidents.
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