Mangaluru: The work on the second railway underpass located at Padil is almost finished. However, before its inauguration, a huge hole has developed near the underpass, indicating that it is not safe to ply on this road.
The work on this underpass road has been in progress for the past two years. It was almost completed and then there was a plan to inaugurate this underpass soon. However, as the asphalt developed a three-foot deep sinkhole, it will take more time for this underpass to be opened for public use.
A drainage pipeline runs underneath this road, something that wasn’t taken into consideration when the road was being laid, which has led to this sinkhole, according to the locals.
As it is a railway underpass, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has blamed the railway department for the damage. On the other hand, the railway department has accused the NHAI for substandard work. This blame game has raised questions regarding the authenticity of their claims.
The work on this railway underpass was undertaken at a cost of Rs 5 crores. In order to facilitate the pedestrians, the new underpass was built with a footpath. The height of this underpass is 5.50-meters which allows passage to vehicles up to a maximum height of 4.8 meters. Hence, all vehicles can ply through this underpass, say officials of the NHAI.
