Heavy rains force ban on vehicle movement along hilly stretches of NH66 in Kasaragod

Kasargod: The District Disaster Management Authority has imposed a ban on vehicular movement along the ghat sections of National Highway 66 in Bevinje Hills and Veeramala Hills in Kasaragod district following three consecutive days of heavy rainfall.

District Collector K. Inbasekar, who heads the authority, stated that only heavy vehicles and emergency services, such as ambulances and fire trucks, will be permitted to use these routes.

All other passenger vehicles are advised to take alternative paths until further notice, TNIE reported.

The Bevinje and Veeramala Hills are considered highly vulnerable stretches of NH-66, where ongoing construction work has increased the risk of landslides.

These areas have witnessed frequent incidents in the past. On July 23, a teacher narrowly escaped when a landslide nearly buried her car at Veeramala Hill, while another landslide at Bevinje Hill on July 17 forced authorities to suspend traffic between Cherkala and Chattanchal for more than three weeks.