Thu Nov 21 17:41:14 UTC 2024: ## Madurai Court Orders Improved Lighting on Accident-Prone Highway Stretch
**Madurai, November 21, 2024** – The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered the installation of adequate streetlights on the Madurai-Dindigul Highway stretch between Fatima College and Samayanallur following a high number of accidents. The court’s decision comes after a review of reports indicating 88 accidents, including 22 fatalities, on this stretch between 2018 and October 2024. Conflicting figures were presented to the court, with the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Samayanallur, reporting a higher number of accidents (399, with 104 fatalities) over the same period.
The court will conduct an on-site inspection of the road at 5:30 p.m. on November 29th, with the Corporation Commissioner, police officials, and other relevant authorities required to be present. The judges have directed these authorities to coordinate and pinpoint accident hotspots for targeted improvements.
The case was initiated as a public interest litigation petition and has led to the court issuing directives to multiple agencies, including the Madurai Corporation Commissioner, police departments, and local panchayats, who share jurisdiction over the affected area. The court also briefly initiated contempt proceedings against a highways official for failing to appear at a previous hearing, but later withdrew the proceedings after the official explained his absence. The hearing has been adjourned until December 3rd.
First Piper 