**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 856 in Lok Sabha on December 4, 2025, concerning fatal accidents on the Aroor-Thuravoor NH-66 stretch in Kerala. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways provides information on the causes of accidents, safety audits, actions taken against negligence, and proposed corrective measures. An expert committee submitted its report on November 17, 2025, and actions are being taken based on the recommendations.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Accident Causes and Girder Collapse:**
* Accidents are attributed to poor enforcement of traffic diversion plans and non-adherence to traffic rules.
* The fatal girder collapse on November 13, 2025, was due to mechanical failure (hydraulic jack) and violation of safety protocols.
* **Safety Audits:**
* Safety audits are being conducted by third-party consultants.
* Samarth Infra Engineering Technocrats Pvt. Ltd. is appointed to conduct road safety audits during construction.
* RITES was asked on November 14, 2025, to perform a safety audit on the Aroor-Thuravoor 6-lane elevated corridor, as a template for NH-66 projects.
* **Accident Records:**
* Police authorities don't maintain a separate record of fatal accidents on the ongoing construction.
* Year-wise details of fatal accidents on the stretch, obtained from police authorities, are included in Annexure.
* **Actions Against Negligence:**
* NHAI has temporarily suspended the Contractor and Authority Engineer for one month.
* Show Cause Notices were issued for debarment, of up to 3 years for the Contractor and 2 years for the Authority Engineer.
* A monetary penalty has been imposed.
* Key personnel associated with the girder collapse incident have been removed from the project.
* **Expert Committee and Corrective Measures:**
* An Expert Committee inspected the site on November 14, 2025, to investigate the girder collapse.
* The preliminary report was submitted on November 17, 2025.
* Implemented safety measures:
* Installation of activity-wise awareness signboards.
* Cleaning of signboards and barricades.
* Installation of regulatory signboards.
* Deployment of traffic marshals.
* Mass TBT (Tool Box Talk) for workforce awareness.
* Green net installation at barricade areas.
* Provision of reflective tapes on launching beam.
* Installation of restricted work-zone cautionary signboards.
* Removal of hard barricades in completed median areas.
**Impact Analysis**
**NHAI (National Highways Authority of India)**
* **Impact**: Required to address safety concerns on the NH-66 stretch in Kerala and to conduct regular safety audits.
* **Action Required**: Implement safety measures, investigate the girder collapse, and take action against negligent parties.
**Contractor and Authority Engineer**
* **Impact**: Temporarily suspended from bidding and facing potential debarment due to negligence.
* **Action Required**: Respond to Show Cause Notices and implement improved safety protocols.
**Construction Workforce**
* **Impact**: Increased awareness through Mass TBT (Tool Box Talk) to enhance safety during construction.
* **Action Required**: Adhere to new safety measures and traffic regulations to prevent future accidents.
**Commuters**
* **Impact**: Aim to improve road safety through better traffic management, clear signage, and safer construction practices.
* **Action Required**: Adhere to traffic rules and restrictions in the construction zone.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: Indian government ministry responsible for the development and maintenance of the national highways
NH-66: National Highway 66, the focus of the fatal accidents mentioned in the question.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI): The authority responsible for the development, maintenance and management of National Highways in India.
Kerala: State in India where the Aroor-Thuravoor stretch of NH-66 is located.
Aroor-Thuravoor: The specific stretch on NH-66 in Kerala where the accidents occurred.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 856
ANSWERED ON 4TH DECEMBER, 2025
FATAL ACCIDENTS AT AROOR-THURAVOOR, NH-66 STRETCH IN
KERALA
856. SHRI K C VENUGOPAL:
ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार् ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Ministry is aware of the repeated fatal accidents,
including the recent girder collapse on the Aroor–Thuravoor
National Highway-66 construction stretch in Kerala and the reasons
for such recurring structural failures;
(b) whether the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had
conducted mandatory safety audits, third-party inspections or load-
testing before permitting traffic movement, if not, the reasons
therefor and whether the Ministry will fix responsibility for the gross
violation of safety protocols;
(c) the number of accidents and fatalities reported on this
specific stretch since construction began and whether the Ministry
acknowledges this as the highest accident-prone National Highway
construction zone in the country, if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government intends to initiate criminal
proceedings against the contractor, the construction company and
the supervising officials whose negligence contributed to these
preventable deaths, if so, the details thereof; and
(e) whether the Ministry will constitute an independent high-level
committee to inspect the site and recommend urgent corrective
measures, if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)(a) The accidents reported in the project stretch of Aroor-
Thuravoor are due to various reasons; viz., not strictly enforcing
approved traffic diversion plans, not adhering to traffic rules and
restricted Right of Way etc.
The said fatal accident of girder collapse occurred at 2.30 am
on 13.11.2025 on the project site was due to mechanical failure
(Hydraulic Jack failed) and due to violation of safety protocol by the
commuter.
(b) Safety Audits are being conducted during construction works
by appointing third-party consultants. M/s. Samarth Infra
Engineering Technocrats Pvt. Ltd has been appointed to conduct
Road Safety Audit of the project during the construction stage.
Further, on 14.11.2025, RITES has been asked to carry out the
Safety Audit of Aroor–Thuravoor (12 KM) 6-lane elevated corridor on
NH-66 to be followed for other projects of NH-66.
(c) No separate record of fatal accidents due to ongoing
construction is maintained by the Police Authorities. However, the
year-wise details of fatal accidents on the stretch, obtained from
police authorities, is placed at Annexure. The information includes
accidents due to various reasons such as not-adhering to traffic
rules, negligent driving, over-speed etc.
(d) National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has temporarily
suspended the Contractor and Authority Engineer for 1 month from
bidding and issued Show Cause Notices for debarment (up to 03
years to Contractor and up to 2 years to Authority Engineer) and
imposing monetary penalty. The concerned key personnel,
associated with the incident, being removed from the project.
(e) An Expert Committee inspected the site on 14.11.2025 to
evaluate the probable cause of the incident of falling of PSC Girders
that had occurred on 13.11.2025 at 2.30 am. Expert Committee
submitted its preliminary report on 17.11.2025. The actions are
being taken as per the recommendations of the Committee. The
following safety measures have been implemented:(1) Installation of Activity-wise awareness signboards at all
relevant work fronts/ critical locations.
(2) Cleaning of Signboards & Barricades.
(3) Installation of Regulatory Signboards.
(4) Deployment of Traffic Marshals for Traffic Regulation.
(5) Mass TBT (Tool Box Talk) for Workforce Awareness.
(6) Green Net installation at Barricade areas.
(7) Provision of Reflective Tapes on Launching Beam.
(8) Installation of Restricted Work-zone Cautionary Signboards.
(9) Removal of Hard Barricades in completed median areas.ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 856 ANSWERED ON 4TH DECEMBER, 2025
ASKED BY SHRI K C VENUGOPAL AND ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH
REGARDING ‘FATAL ACCIDENTS AT AROOR-THURAVOOR, NH-66
STRETCH IN KERALA’.
ABSTRACT OF FATAL ACCIDENT
Year Total Nos
2023 14
2024 21
2025 12
Total 47
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