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Narrow escape for passengers

Staff Reporter

Bus rams Pondicherry Engineering College compound wall

Photo: T. Singaravelou

DASHING: The private bus that rammed the premises of Pondicherry Enginerring College on Thursday night being removed.

PUDUCHERRY: Thirty-five passengers of a private bus had a miraculous escape after the bus rammed the premises of Pondicherry Engineering College on Thursday night.

The driver of the bus, which was returning to Chennai after a trip to Velankanni, lost control while trying to evade the median. The bus narrowly missed a lamppost and rammed the premises of PEC, breaking the boundary wall. In the accident, the driver and cleaner sustained minor bruises, according to police.

The driver complained that there were no reflector on the median or the streetlights working, and it was raining heavily.

A visit to the spot by this reporter revealed that the median at several points lacked reflectors.

This was not the first accident that was reported between Kanagachettikulam and Pillaichavady in the recent months.

Death trap

The three km stretch has become a death trap for road users, especially pedestrians and two-wheeler drivers.

In the last four months, four pedestrians were killed after speeding vehicles knocked them down. During the same period a two-wheeler driver was crushed to death and at least five heavy vehicles met with accident in the area, injuring as many as 10 persons. The slow pace at which the work for expanding the road was taking place had become a concern.

"The bad condition and delay in expansion of one side of the road were the reason for most of the accidents," admits traffic personnel.

Through most part of the busy trunk road, only one side is operational. Also, the road is uneven because only at certain sections the re-laying works have been completed.

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