Cochin Shipyard organises safety conclave
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) organised ‘Samsraya’, an event aimed at fortifying safety standards within the shipbuilding and ship repair sectors in India, on May 9 and 10.
The programme was aimed at advancing safety practices in the maritime domain in India and to explore the possibilities of creating a health, safety and environment (HSE) framework for Indian shipyards. The conclave was inaugurated by T.K. Ramachandran, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. He underscored the signicance of prioritising HSE practices in shipyard operations. Madhu S. Nair, CMD of CSL, delivered the welcome address.
Timings KOCHI
Two persons were killed after the bike they were travelling on got caught between two Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses at the accident-prone Chakkaraparambu Junction on the Palarivattom-Vyttila NH bypass here on Friday morning.
The deceased were identied as Mohammed Sajad and Robin, both from Aluva.
Slippery road
The accident occurred soon after an ordinary bus of the KSRTC halted at the junction, in front of the bike. A speeding Garuda bus of the KSRTC rammed the two-wheeler from behind and then hit the rear end of the parked bus. It is learnt that the road was slippery following rains.
A resident of Chakkaraparambu, A.S. Boban, who is the working president of KSRTC Driver’s Society, was among the rst to reach the scene of the accident. He said both fatal and non-fatal accidents were common at the busy junction mainly due to the absence of bus bays on either side.
This results in buses occupying the width of the slow track when they halt at stops, leaving a trail of vehicles behind. Accidents occur in the resultant chaos, especially when motorists turn impatient. The police can easily keep track of such issues and rule violations and take preventive measures, if they monitor the pair of CCTVs at the junction.
The proximity of the bus stops to a pair of Uturns on the NH bypass and multiple turns that lead to/from service roads have added to the probability of accidents. The National Highways Authority of India must redesign these turns so that they are well away from the junction, he added.