Travellers, please note: Traffic restrictions at Thamarassery Ghat begin today for the next three days

Thamarassery: The National Highway Department has imposed traffic restrictions at the Thamarassery Ghat from Friday onwards to load felled trees—cut as part of the widening of the hairpin bends—onto lorries. Small vehicles will be allowed through the pass only at intervals.

For three days starting Friday, from 8 am to 6 pm, the plan is to use cranes to load the felled trees lying along the roadside and in the forest area near the eighth hairpin bend onto lorries. The restrictions have been implemented considering the traffic congestion likely to occur during the removal process. After being brought down along the ghat road in lorries, the trees will be shifted to a public area at West Kaithapoyil for auction procedures.

As severe congestion is expected during daytime crane operations, officials of the Public Works Department (National Highway Subdivision) issued letters to the Deputy Superintendents of Police of Thamarassery and Sultan Bathery, as well as the Tahsildars of Thamarassery and Kalpetta, requesting the reorganisation of traffic to ensure convenience for travellers.

Further, based on letters sent to the Wayanad and Kozhikode District Collectors by the PWD NH Division, both Collectors have instructed the Tahsildars and police departments concerned to implement traffic-control measures.

PWD NH Koduvally Section Assistant Engineer M Saleem stated that instructions were issued to divert multi-axle and heavy vehicles for three days through either Nadukani Ghat or Kuttiyadi Ghat.

140 trees felled along the Ghat road

For the renovation of the 6th, 7th and 8th hairpin bends at Thamarassery Ghat, the Delhi-based contractor Chaudhary Constructions has already felled a total of 140 trees. Of these, 129 trees were cut from forest land near the eighth hairpin bend.

Tree felling began on November 26. The PWD, which took over the forest land from the Forest Department for ghat road development, currently has fresh permission to cut a total of 393 trees.

Restrictions

8 am to 6 pm: Multi-axle and heavy vehicles will be diverted.

 

 

Small vehicles will be allowed through the ghat only at intermittent intervals.