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Shiradi Ghat road opens for light motor vehicles

The district administrations of Hassan and Dakshina Kannada on Wednesday ordered opening of Shiradi Ghat stretch of National Highway 75 for light motor vehicles, including maxicabs and light commercial vehicles, with immediate effect. Heavy vehicles, including buses and goods carriers, will not be allowed for now.

Deputy Commissioners of Hassan and Dakshina Kannada Rohini Sindhuri and S. Sasikanth Senthil, respectively, issued orders to this effect, saying people were put to great inconvenience following simultaneous closure of important ghats, including Smapaje and Shiradi, following landslips caused by heavy rain in August.

Ms. Sindhuri said two stretches in Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district — Manjarabad (chainage 227.740 to 228.300) and Doddatappale village (chainage 232.690 to 233.190) where landslips had occurred — would have one-way movement of vehicles. She has asked the Hassan district police to deploy adequate personnel for smooth vehicular movement on these stretches.

Restoration

The Deputy Commissioners said the National Highways Division of the State Public Works Department had undertaken restoration of the affected parts of the ghat road on a war footing and the work was nearing completion. Executive engineers have submitted reports that the stretch may be opened for light vehicles as the rain had subsided, the officers said.

Assistant commissioners of Sakleshpur and Puttur conducted an inspection on Wednesday along with engineers from the PWD’s NH Division and National Highways Authority of India and concluded that only LMVs may be allowed for now, the Deputy Commissioners said.

Asking respective district police heads to make suitable arrangements for smooth vehicular movement through vulnerable locations, the Deputy Commissioners said the NH Division and the NHAI would be responsible for technical coordination of the stretch, on whose recommendations the orders allowing LMVs are passed.

Meanwhile, during a spot visit by The Hindu on Wednesday, personnel of the contractor, Ocean Constructions, were seen restoring the affected stretches. Men and machinery were deployed to strengthen the affected road shoulders even as those areas have been barricaded.

A temporary move: Revanna

Minister for Public Works H.D. Revanna on Wednesday said the decision to allow vehicular movement via Shiradi Ghat was purely a temporary one.

“If any landslip occurs or any other damage is caused, the traffic would be stopped immediately. So far the officers have not given clearance for heavy vehicles,” he told reporters here.

Stating that heavy vehicles, passenger as well as goods, will not be allowed on Shiradi Ghat for the present, Mr. Revanna added that the Superintendent of Police of Hassan district would be held responsible if the police allowed heavy vehicles through the ghat that might cause untoward incidents.