[tharian]

A temporary precaution I can think of before any concrete plan can be put forth and implemented.

Send loaded trucks in a convoy. I noticed after the last major crash here that the left lane before the curvy section starts is separated for trucks. They can send a convoy of twenty trucks at a time with an escort who maintains a slow speed. In this way, the trucks behind will be forced to keep that speed.
Only point being if the cops will actually do this consistently since this will be a round the clock activity.

A run-away ramp being built here will be a good thing, but the point at which the trucks loose their brakes is at a section where the left side of the road is a valley and building a ramp there will be difficult.

The other thing I noticed is that there is almost a two km section from the toll plaza to the beginning of the curvy section which is actually a deceiving slope and trucks usually pick up speed here and I have hardly noticed any trucks drive in low gear here. This is where the brakes get overheated and then gets worse at the curvy section.

I think it is high time they built a new alignment bypassing this ghat and Thoppur town and joins the highway further down. Having to travel this route atleast once a year by bike or car, always gives me the jitters.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by tharian

I think it is high time they built a new alignment bypassing this ghat and Thoppur town and joins the highway further down. Having to travel this route atleast once a year by bike or car, always gives me the jitters.

Already in process and will hopefully be expedited: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../106056647.cms

[rajwheelz]

Another one reported just now. My prayers to the deceased souls.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/vide...-ndtv_bigstory

[binand]

Originally Posted by RGK

I feel creating a tunnelled highway is better and will avoid slopes.

Tunnel will not avoid the slope. Salem and Dharmapuri are separated by an elevation difference of ~200m which will have to be climbed irrespective of whether it is a ghat road, an elevated highway or a tunnel.

[Rigid Rotor]

https://https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/caught-on-cam-4-dead-8-injured-multi-vehicle-collision-tamil-nadus-dharmapuri-2493296-2024-01-25

• Four dead + eight injured.
• It appears that a car with 5 passengers was caught in the middle of two trucks, between the out-of-control truck that rear-ended the other.
• The truck that was rear-ended appeared to have been flung off the bridge.
• The car is reported to have been broken in half.
• I doubt whether the car driver even realised what had rammed into his vehicle or whether the driver of the truck which was flung off the bridge had any reaction time to escape.

There were comments by some members that the stretch is not challenging or hazardous and that all one needs to do is just drive safely.

Also - crashworthiness - even a '20' Star Rated car will not survive intact in such a pile-up, effectively giving zero chances for survival of any light vehicle occupants.

High time the authorities weigh and stop overloaded trucks at the Thoppur toll plaza, regulate heavy traffic in 10-20 vehicle convoys, and let light vehicles through after the heavy vehicle convoy has passed.

[avira_tk]

I saw the video of the accident, anywhere on that stretch, I stay far away from trucks, seen too many of them carelessly switching lanes without any indication. The above accident could have been avoided if the trucks stayed in the left lane as all those signboards ask them to.

[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Already in process and will hopefully be expedited: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../106056647.cms

The last date for submitting tenders is 30th of Jan. According to the article, 260 people have lost their lives in this spot in the last one decade. I wonder what's the criteria for NHAI to start improvising a certain section of the highway in terms of safety since this initiative has started because of the inputs from MLAs and not NHAI themselves! I assume it should take 2 years for them to finish this new stretch if everything goes fine. But how many more lives are we going to lose in this period?

[sgmuser]

We can talk about many things here. But this road and the NH45 are the worst maintained road in the whole of TN. Such a heavy traffic 24 hours and still, just the two lanes available and drive at 30-40kms speed. The trucks take two lanes at the same time and block everyone. What drivers do is simply get frustrated. One need to see the traffic from Chennai and upto Ulundurpet in NH45. It's so taxing and it doesnt feel like one is driving in a NH that too which is connecting a metro for God sake. Still you end up paying 500 rupees as toll for less than 300 kms and just two lanes with lots of lots of broken, potholes filled National Highways. OMG. How many lives are going to be lost only God knows. See the kids held by the youngsters I really pity our destiny. No respect for life in India. See the roads closer to the tolls. Even that are not properly maintained nowadays. I still vividly remember once my driver told he used to take 5 hours for 300 kms stretch in NH45 with only bio or quick tea breaks in Maruti 800. But now it takes 6 hours in a BMW. My mother who was around 70 that time used to joke when she sees nice roads and flower plants in highways and say are we nearing the tolls as it looks nice before we pay money. But now even the roads closer to toll plazas are so bad and filthy. Where all the money goes no one knows.

[RGK]

Originally Posted by binand

Tunnel will not avoid the slope. Salem and Dharmapuri are separated by an elevation difference of ~200m which will have to be climbed irrespective of whether it is a ghat road, an elevated highway or a tunnel.

Tunnelling can be explored at the same altitude. The altitude variance (~200m) needs to be adjusted on the open highway.

One of the issues is the curve encountered during the descent.

[binand]

Originally Posted by RGK

Tunnelling can be explored at the same altitude.

Tunnel through what, at the same altitude?

[HIGHWAY_PATROL]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

The last date for submitting tenders is 30th of Jan. According to the article, 260 people have lost their lives in this spot in the last one decade. I wonder what's the criteria for NHAI to start improvising a certain section of the highway in terms of safety since this initiative has started because of the inputs from MLAs and not NHAI themselves! I assume it should take 2 years for them to finish this new stretch if everything goes fine. But how many more lives are we going to lose in this period?

I concur with you that something needs to be done urgently to save lives on this stretch.

It may not be a pleasant thing to have speed breakers here BUT if multiple speed breakers with extra-large warning signs could be introduced in this stretch quickly until a time-consuming better solution gets in place and if this temporary solution would slow down the vehicles to safer speeds and save lives, then I would surely welcome it.

[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by HIGHWAY_PATROL

It may not be a pleasant thing to have speed breakers here BUT if multiple speed breakers with extra-large warning signs could be introduced in this stretch quickly until a time-consuming better solution gets in place and if this temporary solution would slow down the vehicles to safer speeds and save lives, then I would surely welcome it.

Actually they moved on from speed breakers to the current continuous rumble strips since many cars got rear ended by stopping quickly.

IMO, they've tried everything possible. The current solution given there, IMO, is more than sufficient to warn users to be careful. However, I'm not sure why these trucks continue to lose control. Are our trucks so badly overloaded and under maintained?

[RGK]

Originally Posted by binand

Tunnel through what, at the same altitude?

Instead of an elevated highway, a tunnel can maintain the same altitude throughout and even go straight (if possible) based on the nature of the mountain.

OT: "NHAI floats tenders for Rs775-crore elevated highway on Thop ..

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...campaign=cppst

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by RGK

Instead of an elevated highway, a tunnel can maintain the same altitude throughout and even go straight (if possible) based on the nature of the mountain.

Well, there is no mountain or hill to tunnel through and still maintain same altitude. The Bangalore/Hosur to Salem highway is mostly down slope, climbing down the Deccan plateau, and the Thoppur ghat is one steep step down. To get a perspective, Bangalore is at 3000 ft, Dharmapuri (30km to Thoppur) is at 1500 ft and Selam (38km from Thoppur) is at 1000ft. So even if with tunnel or elevated highway, it has to climb down.

[binand]

Originally Posted by RGK

Instead of an elevated highway, a tunnel can maintain the same altitude throughout and even go straight (if possible) based on the nature of the mountain.

Maybe you don't understand the topography here. Salem is at an altitude of ~275m above sea level. Dharmapuri is at ~475m. From there till Krishnagiri it stays at that level, but beyond Krishnagiri the road climbs to ~900m when you reach Hosur.

There is no one mountain that you can tunnel through and get back to the Salem altitude on the "other side". The Thoppur ghat is not a road that climbs up a mountain on one side and descends on the other.