T’puram: The city police are set to intensify enforcement against the illegal parking of trucks, container trucks and other heavy vehicles along the speed track of NH 66, particularly around the Thiruvallom toll plaza and the Thiruvallom-Kovalam stretch.Several heavy vehicles are reportedly being parked on or close to the speed track, posing a serious risk to motorists travelling at high speed.“The focus will be on preventing accidents and ensuring that traffic can move safely along the high-speed corridor,” said deputy commissioner of police (traffic, law and order) Deepak Dhanakar.The Thiruvallom-Kovalam corridor is among the accident-prone stretches in the city. A recent assessment of road safety conditions found that 12 people had died in accidents between Thiruvallom and Mukkola this year. Thiruvallom Bridge, the area near Thiruvallom Jn, Pachalloor Chudukadu, Vazhamuttom and Vellar have been identified as accident-prone locations.Stationary heavy vehicles become particularly dangerous at night and in poor visibility. Motorists travelling at high speed may have little time to react to a truck or container truck parked on the carriageway, increasing the possibility of high-impact collisions.The issue has gained renewed attention following recent fatal accidents on NH 66. In July, two Technopark employees, Naveen Sibi and Mridula Ann Umman, were killed in a crash near the Thiruvallom toll plaza. The probe found that their motorcycle was allegedly hit from behind by a car.Meanwhile, an NHAI official said the authority’s operational role did not extend to policing unauthorised parking on the highway. “Enforcement against illegal parking is primarily the responsibility of the police and the authorities concerned. NHAI can provide necessary support and coordinate on road-safety measures, but vehicles cannot be removed or penalised by the highway authority alone,” the official said.
