KSRTC services to resume on Ghat road on trial basis

KOZHIKODE: A high-level meeting held at the Collectorate on Friday, in the presence of ministers T.P. Ramakrishnan and transport minister A.K. Saseendran, has decided to partially reinstate the traffic through the damaged Ghat Road by Sunday.  KSRTC buses will start plying through the route on a trial basis on Sunday. The road was strengthened with concreting as the forest department objected on tarring the portion. 

Addressing reporters at Chippilithode after visiting the damaged spot of the highway minister for labour T.P. Ramakrishnan said that the traffic through the road without trucks and private buses will resume from Sunday.  A trial service was conducted on Thursday allowing a few buses and trucks to pass through the strengthened and wide-ned part. The washed away portion is still to be attended to. The road got widened taking about 1 metre to 1.5 metre forest land. For the time being only one way will be allowed through the point.

The traffic through the road had been out of gear after the road at Chippilithode near Adivaram was washed off in the torrential rains early on Thursday last week. Transport minister A.K/ Saseendran and district collector U.V. Jose were also present along with officials of Public Works Department, National Highway Authority, forest department and officials of Uralungal Labour Contract Society.  The traffic would be normalised only after completing the entire reconstruction of the portion which will take more than two months, it was pointed out.