Life returning back to normal in a destroyed town

Team Udayavani, Oct 28, 2018, 5:59 PM IST

• Road repair at quick pace; Shops and hotels reopen

Sullia: The highway repair work is being carried at a quick pace, shops and hotels which had closed down since two months have started their business and people/vehicle movement is also gathering speed at the site of the disaster. This is the present picture of the highway between Sampaje-Madikeri which was broken by the might of the natural disaster. The people here, who have lost everything, are once again beginning their lives.

Jodupala has changed

The flow of Jodupala stream, which had claimed the lives of four people, destroyed several houses and agricultural land has now decreased. But the RCC house on the lower side of the road still stands as evidence to the disaster. At other places, re-construction has begun. It is difficult to realize that this is the place where the disaster took place.

Bus stop

A temporary bus stop has come created. KSRTC buses plying between Madikeri – Jodupala, Sullia – Jodupala, pick and drop their passengers from the place where the disaster took place.

Progress in road repair

Repair work is being undertaken at second Monnangeri, Kartuja and Talatmane areas. The construction of a retaining wall in Kartuja is almost completed. Two JCB’s and hundreds of workers are working on the construction of a retaining wall at second Monnangeri.

The construction of the retaining wall at Talatmane, which suffered heavier damage, is half finished from the bottom. Permanent work is being done at three places. The contracting institution has directed the workers to finish the work within four days.

There is no problem for vehicular movement at Kartuja and second Monnangeri. Two vehicles facing the opposite directions can move side by side. There is only one way road at Talatmane. If two buses come face-to-face, traffic movement becomes troublesome. The retaining wall here needs to be completed and the road needs to be widened. Bags filled with gravel have been stacked at the location near Madenadu, where a hill had collapsed down. It is not a going to last for long and hence there is a possibility of rain water seepage.

Vehicle traffic is scarce

Other than the mini bus and KSRTC buses, the road has not been opened for other vehicles. Earlier, access was given to light vehicles, but since their movement hampered the progress of the work, the access was banned. On Saturday, there were a few light and heavy vehicles passing through here. In comparison to the vehicle traffic here before the disaster, the vehicle density has reduced by 70%.

Road work progress

Hundreds of bags filled with gravel powder have been stored. Geofabric layer has been placed on the ground, upon which a granular sub base (GSB) is laid to a thickness of one-and-a-half feet. Mud has been stacked to create embankments and to prevent any collapse, retaining walls and gabian walls have been created, thereby 90-95% of the work on the creation of a permanent highway has been completed.

Work to be done within a week

“The road repair work has progressed with good speed. Considering the present pace, the work is expected to be completed within a week. Once the road is completely functional, it will open for all forms of vehicular movement,” informed Srividya, Kodagu deputy commissioner.

Article by Kiran Prasad Kundadka translated into English by Aaron Dmello