The district administration here on Thursday said that guidelines and standard operating protocols (SOPs) would be framed to prevent overloading of tipper lorries ferrying construction materials to the Vizhinjam seaport. The decision comes in the wake of a medical student being killed in a freak road mishap near Vizhinjam on Tuesday after a huge rock slipped from a tipper lorry that was transporting a load of stones for the seaport and fell on him.
Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Geromic George said that the decision was taken pursuant to a meeting of all the stakeholders, including representatives of various political parties.
George told reporters after the meeting, that everyone was of the view that strengthening of enforcement was most important.
As part of that, the Motor Vehicles Department, the police and the Excise department will work together to examine vehicle fitness and prevent overloading of the lorries used for ferrying construction materials to the port, he said.
George said that Adani Group, which is constructing the port, will have to give the list of vehicles contracted by it for transporting materials.
He also said that one of the suggestions in the meeting was to consider some alternative routes for transport of the materials. This shall be considered after discussions with the traffic police, the Collector said.
He further said that a special squad will be constituted to check the vehicles transporting materials to the port for overloading.
“This monitoring would be done both at the loading and unloading sites,” George said, adding that guidelines for it would be framed by the police and the district administration together.
Regarding the issue of compensation to be provided to the victim’s family, he said a report on that would be given to the state government today itself.
The international port is being developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd, (APSEZ), India’s largest port developer and part of the Adani Group.
Kerala Labour Minister V Sivankutty on Wednesday urged Adani Port authorities to provide compensation to the family of the medical student.
Sivankutty had also assured a detailed probe into the fatal accident.
Any construction activity that does not comply with the safety standards would not be permitted, he said.
