Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, April 18: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan visited Kettikal, a region that experienced a major landslide during last year’s monsoon, and instructed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials to complete the construction of a scientifically designed retaining wall using advanced technology before the onset of the upcoming rainy season.
During the previous monsoon, a landslide in Kettikal had severely disrupted highway traffic, prompting the evacuation of several houses located on the hilltop. A large-scale wet well project under construction by Mangaluru City Corporation in the same vicinity was also endangered by the landslip.
Currently, a massive drainage system is being built to redirect hill runoff safely toward the wet well. NHAI officials assured the Deputy Commissioner that this work would also be completed ahead of the monsoon.
Gabion wall rechnology for permanent safety
The Department of Mines and Geology has already conducted a detailed survey of the landslide site, and the National Institute of Technology in Mechanical Engineering has provided technical guidelines for a permanent solution. Based on their recommendations, a state-of-the-art Gabion wall is being constructed in the Kettikal hillside area.
This technology involves filling iron mesh cages with stones to build a sturdy retaining structure. The hilly gradient is being cut and levelled in four steps to accommodate the Gabion wall in tiers. The wall will be constructed consistently across all levels, ensuring that hilltop houses and the nearby road remain unaffected. The entire stretch is being reinforced to prevent future landslides.
Road safety measures along highway and bridge
The deputy commissioner also directed NHAI authorities to instruct DBL, the contractor for the National Highway 169 expansion, to construct cement retaining walls and stone lining on both sides of the newly built bitumen road extending from the new bridge in Gurupura, to prevent soil erosion.
The Gabion wall construction work will begin within the next 15–20 days. With the use of advanced engineering methods, the risk of another landslide in Kettikal will be eliminated, said Deputy Commissioner M. Mahilan.
He added that while temporary measures had been in place for the past year, a permanent solution was now underway.
Drainage systems are being installed alongside the highway to ensure natural water flow from the hill is not obstructed. All work will be completed before the monsoon. Afterwards, arrangements will be made for the safe return of residents who were relocated from hilltop houses.
Safety restored for hilltop houses
Following the landslide, around seven to eight houses on the upper slope were evacuated and the residents temporarily relocated. Some families had returned once the rains subsided. The DC assured that once the ongoing retaining wall work is completed, all families will be resettled safely.
He said the area where the houses are located is elevated, and the retaining wall is being constructed at a height equal to that of the local access road. Hence, there will be no threat to the houses or the road.
Accompanying the deputy commissioner during the site visit were NHAI project director Javed Azmi, Mangaluru City Corporation commissioner Ravichandra Nayak, and officials from the Department of Mines and Geology. engineers and staff from DBL, the project contractor, also briefed the delegation on the ongoing highway development, wet well, and major drainage works in the Kettikal area.