Rights panel recommends raising guardrail height on Venpalavattom flyover

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has recommended that the height of the guardrails on the Venpalavattom flyover along the National Highway 66 bypass in Thiruvananthapuram be increased.

Commission chairperson Alexander Thomas directed that the recommendations that were made earlier by the State Road Safety Commissioner in this regard be taken seriously and implemented without delay.

The directive was issued while considering a case relating to the tragic death of a young woman who plunged into a service road after her scooter crashed into the side barrier of the flyover in an incident that occurred on July 1, 2024.

The victim, Simi, a native of Kovalam, was riding pillion on the scooter driven by her sister Sini. Simi’s three-year-old daughter Shivanya, who was also travelling with them, and Sini sustained injuries in the mishap.

The Commission has also directed the District Collector to convene a meeting of officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to discuss the issue and adopt appropriate follow-up measures to prevent similar accidents in the future.

The case was brought before the Commission based on a complaint filed by social activist Sabeer Tholikkuzhy, who alleged that the accident occurred due to the inadequate height of the flyover’s guardrail.