Pallet slips during maintenance at Kannur multi-level car park, raising safety concerns

A parking pallet at a multi-level parking lot near the Jawahar Municipal Stadium in Kannur slipped while maintenance was being carried out, raising concerns about the safety of the structure. The incident, which happened four days before it became public knowledge on Sunday (October 25), received widespread attention on social media.

One of the parking units was temporarily shut down after the incident. The accident raised questions about the condition and safety of the facility. However, the maintenance team claimed the incident occurred during routine repairs and insisted there was no cause for concern.

“The pallet slipped when the workers tried to lift it using a jack as part of the maintenance process, but the matter was out of proportion,” said NK Sujith, a technician who works here. He said the incident occurred during pallet maintenance.

“A few days ago, we were trying to lift the pallet with a jack when the pallet slipped. However, it has only now come to the public’s attention,” he added.

The pallet, which can weigh around two tonnes, could not be recovered by the team as a car was parked in the same unit. Efforts to contact the owner of the vehicle and have it moved were unsuccessful, he claimed.

Mr Sujith said it was unlikely that the pallet would slip off the support rail due to its considerable weight. He pointed out that the parking lot is made up of four independent units that allow the remaining units to operate even if temporarily out of service.

The maintenance at the Kannur plant is handled by a contract company, while its day-to-day operations are managed by an employee of the company. The maintenance team reported that the displaced pallet could be returned to its original location within a few hours.

Published – 25 Oct 2026 21:53 IST