Traffic restored in Thamarassery pass, parking ban on ninth bend

KOZHIKODE: The traffic ban imposed following the landslide at Thamarassery pass was lifted. Authorities announced that goods vehicles will be allowed to ply from today. The decision was taken at a meeting held at the Kozhikode Collectorate.

Special arrangements will be made for goods vehicles. Goods vehicles will not be allowed from both sides simultaneously. Slots will be decided on hairpin bends. Vehicles will not be allowed to park on the ninth bend where the landslide occurred. It was decided in the meeting to continue monitoring the pass and to bring radars from Kozhikode to conduct inspections. The meeting, chaired by Kozhikode District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, was attended by police, fire force and others. The Collector visited Thamarassery Ghat and assessed the situation. There was earlier a protest over the Collector not visiting the spot.

Following the landslide, only emergency services such as ambulances, hospitals, milk, newspapers, and fuel were allowed through the Ghat. The police cordoned off the road at Lakkidi and Adivaram, the entrance to the ghat.

The landslide was cleared on Tuesday night, and traffic restored by 9 pm on Wednesday. However, the rain intensified at 8 am on Thursday. Vehicles were blocked as stones and rocks started falling on the road. The traffic ban was imposed considering the risk of accidents due to the formation of water channels in the pass.