Virajpet: Kodagu Divisional Commissioner led his team and aided restoration of traffic on busy Virajpet-Thalassery inter-state highway after road caved in near Perumbady lake area on July 20.
Around 105 truck loads of boulders and quarry stones were brought in from Iritty in Kerala and Banavara to carry-out road restoration works. Rs 19 lakh funds were used from the drought relief fund to ensure the completion of work in quick time. Labourers attached to VTT constructions toiled round the clock to ensure light motor vehicle movement on August 2 and the heavy motor vehicles movement is likely to begin on the road in a day or two after Kodagu DC Dr. Richard Vincent D’Souza gives green signal.
It may be recalled a 30-meter-long road near Perumbady lake in Thalassery- Kodagu interstate highway caved on July 20 morning. Traffic along Makkoottam Pass was interrupted on account of this for over 10 days.
The road caved in the morning at around 6.30am on July 21 when a truck passed through the road. People in the truck had alerted other vehicles.
Authorities had said the incessant rain and increase in the water level of Perumbady Lake might have led to the road collapse.
The British had constructed a canal near the lake meant for providing drinking water to wild animals in the dense forest zone of Kodagu border adjoining Kerala. The excess water during rainy season, in case lake gets filled to the brim used to flow through the canal. However heavy vehicular traffic with trucks carrying around 40 tons load on regular basis had damaged the portion of the road and canal over the years where the road caved in recently, it is reliably learnt.
However, the quick response by the district administration led by Kodagu DC has come in for huge praise from traders, labourers, regular travellers and general public at large.
Likely to be National Highway in the near future
The road from Hunsur – Thalassery in Kerala via Gonikoppa and Perumbady is likely to converted into a National Highway in the near future. A proposal for the same is lying in the surface transport ministry and the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is understood to be keen on the project. The International Airport near Mattanur once completed will drive the development in the area and the road becomes vital considering the potential for trade and tourism. In such a scenario the distance between Virajpet and Mattanur will reduce to around 100 kms where a National Highway becomes imperative. Presently a 20 meter long retainer wall has been constructed to tide over the crisis and an action plan to construct a retainer wall at the cost of Rs 70 lakhshas been sent for government approval.
Disclosing the information PWD Assistant Executive engineer, Suresh said, the work will commence on the retainer wall once government sanctions money and it also will also help in retaining more lake water, to the extent of 5 feet height.
With Airport set for inauguration shortly, this road will turn in to a double road. The guidelines stipulate that the highways within a radius of 100 kms from any international airport to be double roads to ease traffic movement and prevent accidents. Despite the road falling eco-sensitive zone the National Highway proposal is likely to get the nod from environmental ministry considering the benefits in store.
