Traffic along Adimaly-Munnar stretch of Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway banned following rockfall

The Idukki district administration in Keralam has banned vehicular traffic on the Adimaly–Munnar stretch of the Kochi–Dhanushkodi National Highway following a major rockfall at Randammile near the Munnar hill station.

According to officials, the rockfall occurred during highway-widening work. The ban was imposed after several loose boulders and trees along the roadside were found to pose an immediate safety risk to commuters. Officials estimate that demolishing and clearing the debris will take approximately three days.

Traffic has been diverted through alternative routes. Motorists travelling from Adimaly to Munnar must divert at Iruttukanam and proceed via Anachal and Randammile to reach Munnar. Those heading from Munnar to Adimaly can take the reverse Randammile–Anachal–Iruttukanam route. Travellers headed toward Mankulam should divert at Iruttukanam to reach Kallar Junction before turning onto the Mankulam road.

District collector Dineshan Cheruvayal directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project director to clear the obstruction within three days. Traffic will resume only after a technical expert committee inspects the stretch and certifies its safety. The district police chief and local authorities have also been instructed to erect proper barricades and heighten security along the route at night.

To prevent future rockfalls, the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) directed the NHAI to halt vertical cutting of roadside slopes and adopt scientific bench-cutting methods during the widening of the highway. 

The road closure comes amidst the Pooja holiday rush, when Munnar witnesses a heavy influx of visitors. Tourism stakeholders expressed concern that diverting traffic from the primary highway would worsen congestion and cause prolonged gridlock across the hill station.