Hulikal ghat road: Landslide at several locations

Team Udayavani, Jul 3, 2019, 8:32 AM IST

Kundapur: Hulikal (Balebare) ghat road is the lifeline between karavali and malnad Shimoga. However, a little rain had already had damaged the area. Landslides have occurred at various locations and a traveler is compelled to travel under a cloud of impending doom.

This road lies along the Udupi-Thirthahalli state highway. With the aim to develop the stretch, the Public Works Department handed it over to the National Highway department for a period of 10 years and yet, the road has become dangerous due to lack of maintenance.

This ghat road not only connects Shimoga, but also Ballari, Davanagere and other districts with Udupi and Mangaluru. Hence it is a very vital connection. Daily, around 2,000 vehicles pass through here and of the 12km long stretch, around 6km area is bordered by a fall of hundreds of feet on one side. Many dangerous turns here do not have barricades. The barricades that were located at a few places have broken down after being hit by vehicles. The concerned department has failed to even get them repaired.

Landslide

Some places along the stretch have suffered landslide with boulders lying on the road while at some other location, boulders hang precariously beside the road. There is a possibility of trees falling on to the road. This time, proper rains have not yet started. If in case there is heavy rains, travelers here fearful wonder on the state the road might reach.

Since there is no proper drainage system here, the rain water is flowing on to the road. This poses a grave threat for two-wheelers. Due to plant outgrowth, oncoming vehicles are not visible along the turns. In that too, the turning near the Chandikamba temple here is very dangerous for heavy vehicles. There is no barricade here, and a slight mistake by the driver will take his vehicle down to a drop of hundreds of feet.

Immediate repair

“5kms from Hosangadi comes under Kundapur sun division. Before the monsoon, we had once cleared the plants and trees beside the road. Now there has been landslides at some places. The areas will be visited immediately and action will be taken to clear the mud. Inspection will be carried out for the requirement of barricade – Durgadas, Assistant Engineer, PWD Kundapur Sub Division