Ensure traffic is restored on Thamarassery pass: Priyanka Gandhi requests Gadkari

Wayanad(Kerala), Aug 28 (PTI) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has requested Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to ensure that traffic movement is quickly restored on the Thamarassery pass here which has been blocked due to heavy landslides.

Priyanka, in a letter, also urged Gadkari to immediately send an expert committee to Wayanad to study the necessary measures required to prevent the repeated instances of landslides on the Thamarassery pass, the only refuge of the people of the hill district, party sources said on Thursday.

The Congress MP told the union minister that traffic blockage on the pass is causing great hardship to people of Wayanad as it is the only route that connects them to Kozhikode district where they go for their health needs.

Landslides had occurred on the pass on August 26 also, leading to disruption of traffic on the route, she said in her letter.

The letter stated that there are concerns that more landslides will occur in the area and therefore, an expert team has to be sent immediately to Wayanad to inspect that section of the highway for assessing the risk and ensuring safety and connectivity of travellers, they said.

The MP also requested the minister to consider constructing an alternative route as soon as possible to be used in such circumstances, the sources said.

Following fresh landslides, due to heavy rains, the Thamarassery pass was completely blocked on Thursday.

A portion of the pass was later cleared of debris to allow passage of emergency service vehicles, according to district administration officials. PTI HMP HMP ROH