Accidents increasing during monsoon; joint efforts required to avert disaster
Every journey has a reason and a purpose. Every traveller wishes and pray that it be successful. However, the present situation is such that one cannot embark on any journey except with the anxiety of returning home alive, even if the intention is not fulfilled. Last day, the biker Jijo Sebastian, who lost his life when a private bus operating an interstate service overturned at Madavana Junction on the national highway near Kochi Kundannoor, was leaving to pick up his wife and daughter from his relative's house.
Two youths who are also relatives were returning from attending a friend's wedding. However, they died tragically when the iron bars that were installed to build the handrail of the bridge near Veliancode on the Ponnani National Highway pierced through their bodies. How many people's journeys of life stop midway like this every day without them ever getting back to their loved ones!
The family always gives a warning to their loved ones to 'ride safely' when they go out. However, no matter how careful they are, there will be some accidents waiting on the way, as if it is the predestined destiny of the cruel fate. If earlier the risk of death was due to the carelessness of the victim, now the higher number belongs to the innocent people who are doomed to perish due to the carelessness or indifference of others. The driver of the bus who took the life of a biker in Kundannoor was in a rush to cross the junction before the yellow signal faded and the light turned red. When the red signal suddenly came on, the bus went out of control due to sudden braking, hit the signal post and overturned on top of the bike. Jijo Sebastian, who was waiting for the signal to change, was waiting on the bike without knowing that death was coming after him.
In Ponnani, the bike went out of control in the rain and rammed into sharp iron bars placed on the bridge. As the company contracted for the bridge construction abandoned the work before the bridge was built, the iron bars were waiting on the roadside like the canines of the angel of death. Ashik and Fazil rode into it as if cast by cruel fate! There is only one reason for the accidents and deaths due to the rush of drivers, the iron bars and potholes on the roads that are left after the half development work on the roads including the national highways - not caring that the life of every person who walks and drives on the road is equal to ones own life!
National highway development and road maintenance are going on across the state. On top of that, the rainy season, the time when accident rate increases, is also active. In many places, due to road works, vehicles are being diverted to service roads and side roads. There are many places where there are no cautionary warnings or warning signs warning about this. If the contract companies show indifference, the work of installing these signboards can be done by the respective local bodies or the police. No one will because of the dispute over whose responsibility it is. Those who arrive unaware of this will be the helpless victims of that indifference. Every signboard is a lifesaver. There is no one who does not care about his own life and is not careful about his family. Everyone should remember that others have the same concern.