Instead of bringing joy, the mention of monsoon brings a scare to many people travelling between the coast and other parts of the State as they dread the loss of connectivity.
The fears came true this year as well, but with greater intensity, with the Charmadi Ghat becoming the victim of torrential rain that lashed the region in August second week. Part of Mangaluru–Villupuram National Highway 73, the ghat connects Dakshina Kannada to Chikkamagaluru districts and many parts of central Karnataka.
In the third week of August last year, the Shiradi Ghat on Mangaluru–Bengaluru NH 75 and the Sampaje Ghat on Mangaluru–Mysuru NH 275 had witnesses multiple landslips following heavy rain and remained closed for several days. While Charmadi had remained the only link then, the National Highways division of the Public Works Department (PWD) is now not sure how long it would take to restore the Charmadi Ghat road that has witnessed 60 landslips this time, both minor and major ones.
Gopal Pai, a software engineer from Mani in Dakshina Kannada who stays in Bengaluru, regretted the government lacking a commitment to ensure hassle-free travel between the coast and other parts of the State. Mr. Pai, who had launched #connectustomangaluru Twitter campaign last year against the indefinite closure of Shiradi Ghat road, said he was unable to understand the government’s apparent helplessness. “If the government cannot spend money to ensure connectivity, who else can do it?” he said.
PWD officials did not expect Charmadi Ghat would have to be closed down, but extremely heavy rain on August 9 and 10 (over 500 mm) in the Kottigehara region belied their expectations. The 23-km ghat stretch in Chikkamagaluru and Dakshina Kannada districts has witnessed deep cuttings at a few locations.
“We are clearing the debris now. Only after this we will get to know the exact quantum of damage,” M. Ganesh, chief engineer of PWD’s NH division, told The Hindu . With the department’s proposal to concrete this stretch at a cost of around ₹250 crore still pending with the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry, the PWD is adding proposals to build concrete retaining walls at select stretches.
Shiradi project pending with MoRTH
A proposal on permanent restoration work on Shiradi Ghat, including building river embankment at last year’s rain-affected stretches, is pending with the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Sources said it would soon be cleared.
By the time the proposal reached MoRTH, elections were declared and funds could not be released, sources said, and added that ₹45 crore would shortly be released for the work.
Though MoRTH had sanctioned funds to improve Charmadi Ghat road, the recent cloudburst has wrecked havoc and hence it would await fresh estimates from the State government to release funds. Similar was the case with Sampaje Ghat, sources said.
Rail connectivity too affected
Clearing debris: Work on restoring services on the railway line between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road stations is under way.
Added to the road connectivity woes, train services between the coast and Bengaluru too have been disrupted again this year following landslips between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road stations in the ghat section of Mangaluru–Hassan railway line.
In August last year, the stretch had witnessed landslips at nearly 70 locations and train services were suspended for over a month. This year, South Western Railway (SWR) authorities, who were closing the stretch off and on since August first week, have now closed the section till August 23 following recurring landslips.
SWR’s Mysuru Divisional Railway Manager Aparna Garg, who is monitoring the restoration work, said she had been to the spot on Friday too and trekked about 5 km to reach the affected areas. Work is on at a brisk pace, she said.
Ms. Garg told The Hindu that about 80 labourers each were working to restore the tracks at two sites — near Sakleshpur and towards Subrahmanya Road along with 15 supervisors at each spot and three officers.
