Woman Auto Driver Dies as Vehicle Overturns at Vengadamangalam

A 42-year-old woman auto-rickshaw driver died on Tuesday night after her vehicle overturned while crossing a speed breaker on the Ponmar-Kandigai Link Road at Vengadamangalam near Vandalur. While police suspect speeding, local residents pointed out inadequate street lighting, poor visibility of speed breakers, and deteriorating road conditions along the stretch.

The deceased was identified as M Divya, a resident of Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in Urapakkam. The fatal accident took place around 8 pm when she was returning home after dropping off a passenger.

According to the Pallikaranai Traffic Investigation Wing police, Divya was driving at high speed when she lost control of the auto-rickshaw while negotiating the speed breaker. The vehicle overturned due to the impact. Divya sustained severe head injuries in the crash and died on the spot.

Police officials noted that the stretch suffers from insufficient street lighting, making it difficult for motorists to spot speed breakers in the dark, especially those who are not familiar with the route.

A resident of Vengadamangalam stated that the road, which was laid around 2021, has developed potholes and several damaged stretches over time. Residents highlighted that the speed breakers lack proper visibility, making it difficult for commuters traveling along the Ponmar-Kandigai Link Road at night to notice them in time. The edges of some speed breakers on the stretch have also been damaged, prompting calls from locals for a permanent solution to the civic hazard.

A passerby who witnessed the aftermath alerted the local authorities. Personnel from the Pallikaranai Traffic Investigation Wing arrived at the scene and recovered the body, which was subsequently sent to the Government Hospital in Tambaram for a postmortem examination.

The Pallikaranai Traffic Investigation Wing police have registered a case regarding the incident under Sections 281 and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).