Alleging that the negligence of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) resulted in a number of accidents on the stretch under the elevated corridor on New Natham Road, a man filed a petition before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking appropriate compensation. He said last year he and his friend fell from motorcycle on the stretch and sustained injuries.
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Justice G.R. Swaminathan ordered notice and sought the response of the authorities to the petition filed by K. Jothi Masthan of K. Pudur in Madurai, who said on December 1, 2022, he and his friend Arunachala Pandi were riding a motorcycle under the elevated highway when some debris fell on them.
The petitioner said he lost control of the motorcycle and they fell down and suffered injuries. Some workers at the construction site saw them fall down from the motorcycle, and they were rushed to Government Rajaji Hospital.
A number of accidents occurred along the stretch due to the negligence of the NHAI. A migrant worker was killed in 2021 when a concrete girder of the elevated highway came down crashing. Subsequently, a motorcycle rider was injured when an iron bar fell down and two others were injured last year when a cable fell down, he said.
He said he sent a representation to Madurai Collector in this regard. He also sought a direction to NHAI authorities to supervise the project work undertaken by private enterprises and to ensure that they followed all the precautions to safeguard and protect the lives of the public and the workers.