A concrete action plan to mitigate the increasing number of accidents in black spots on the national and State highways is still hanging in the balance even as the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) has come out with an updated list of such spots in Kozhikode district. Enforcement activities are given priority sidelining proposals that suggested possible realignment and effective speed control or road widening measures.
The district has 32 accident-prone areas on the national and State highways as per the NATPAC study. Among these recently identified areas, 18 are located on the national highways and eight are within the city limits. Risky junctions and crossroads top the list for immediate action.
Even with surveillance cameras operating in most of these areas, the punitive measures have failed to reduce the occurrence of new violations. The ongoing highway widening works have also added to the safety challenges.
