A Tempo Traveler van overturned in a 30-feet ditch last night on the Uthagai Kallati mountain pass. A Chennai-based software engineer died in this. The incident took place when 18 people belonging to a private software company operating in Solinganallur area of Chennai went to visit Utakai.
A few days back on the new generation digital YouTube site, we had mentioned some important things about Kallati Road and the accidents that happen there. Especially those who do not know about this road should avoid traveling on it. Accidents are not caused by supernatural powers or magic spells. We had said that science is the only cause. As mentioned in the video, yesterday also happened in Kallati.
Tony, the ambulance driver at the Kallati forest check post, called us on the phone at 9.00 pm last night. While speaking, he said, “A vehicle has met with an accident on the 15th ramp. It is not known how many people are there.” We came to know what was inside.
Among the accident victims, one woman died and 18 others were admitted to the Uthagai Government Hospital. At one o’clock in the night we met the driver of that vehicle Sikandar in the hospital on behalf of “New Generation”. He was hit on the shoulder. Speaking to him, he said, “Those tourists who came to Utak, decided to stay in Masinagudi and booked online. A person from the resort came and took the passengers on a motorcycle. He took the cross road through the old collector’s office as the police would be there if he went to Thalikunda. There is no police checkpoint in Abdai,” he said.
We asked if they were aware of Kallati Road. Driver Sikandar replied that he had uploaded our video about Kallati Road four days ago. Sikandar also said that one of the employees told his colleagues not to go on this road. The problem is that he did not know that the path they were on was a rocky path. It is said that the main reason for this accident is the people belonging to the resort.
Old video can be found here:
When Sikandar goes that route, he is in second gear. Because of the rain and the new track, he used the brakes frequently. While approaching the fifteenth bend, the vehicle lost control. At the scene of the accident, perhaps if he had braked, there would have been a tire mark on the road. Knowing this, we went there and looked. There was no such trace then. It is noted that the vehicle would have been stopped at the forest department check post if it had crossed a distance of 500 meters.
As for Kallati Road, it will be closed at 9 pm. They will open again only at six in the morning. Keeping this in mind, it is predicted that the driver may be driving fast as he has to leave the place before 9 pm. Apart from this, local motorists say that “tempo travel vehicles are completely banned on Kallati Road”. People are demanding that the government should take action against the people involved saying that many accidents have taken place due to people from the localities who are not aware of the road.
According to the information provided by the people and the statement of the accident survivors, Vinod Kumar, the owner of the hostel located on Kallati hill pass and his assistant Joseph (for taking the tourist van to the hostel in violation of the ban and causing the accident) Utagai Pudumandu Police Station Crime No. 40/22 u/s 279, The police have registered a case under sections 337, 338, 304(A) and arrested them. It is very difficult to prevent such accidents unless people are made aware of this road.
-George Anthony