Motorists using the Thamarassery Ghat Road connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in Kerala have been cautioned by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) due to a crack found on the mountain pass. The crack, located near the eighth hairpin bend, has raised safety concerns as monsoon rains intensify in the region.
According to Revenue department officers with the DDMA, the stone masonry supporting the roadside has partially separated from the main road, creating the possibility of further soil erosion due to continuous rainfall. As a result, tourists have been advised to travel cautiously while passing through the affected hairpin stretch.
Drivers of heavy multi-axle vehicles, especially those operating interstate services during night, have been instructed to ensure the fitness of the vehicles and avoid moving close to the risky roadside edge. The DDMA has warned that the movement of heavy vehicles could increase pressure on the damaged portion and other weaker edges of the road. Ghat Road Protection Committee members have also emphasized the importance of complying with speed-limit regulations considering the rough weather alert.
Reckless overtaking attempts and lane-traffic violations could endanger the lives of fellow travellers on the rain-soaked hill road. In view of the adverse weather conditions, the DDMA has banned quarrying, earth excavation, mining, well digging, and sand-mining until further orders. Public access to major waterfalls, riverbanks, beaches, and other waterbodies across Kozhikode district will be restricted for a few days, and non-essential travel to landslide-prone hill areas and Ghat regions will be discouraged between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. as a precautionary measure.
