Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady
Belthangady, May 25: With the southwest monsoon closing in, the critical Mangaluru–Bengaluru National Highway faces renewed threats from landslides, particularly in the precarious Charmadi Ghat section, where retaining wall works have continued at a snail’s pace for years.
Despite being a high-risk zone, major safety measures remain incomplete, raising alarm among commuters and residents once again.
The Charmadi Ghat lies within Chikkamagaluru district and forms part of the Mangaluru–Villupuram National Highway. The 25 km-long ghat road—stretching from Charmadi stream to Malemarutha—comprises 12 km in Dakshina Kannada and 13 km under Chikkamagaluru’s jurisdiction.
The terrain is steep, narrow, and winding—so much so that in some parts, even the simultaneous passage of a bus and jeep proves difficult. Drivers are forced to navigate with extreme caution.
Despite starting nearly three seasons ago, the construction of retaining walls at landslide-prone points has been moving sluggishly. The project, sanctioned at Rs 15 crore, was aimed to be completed within 12 months but remains incomplete. Also, an additional Rs 3 crore has been allocated for a 2.5 km stretch of roadside retaining wall, standing 3 feet tall. Only about half this work is done; the remainder is still under progress. If this wall is not finished before the peak of the monsoon, officials warn that vehicular movement may be severely affected — and the threat of landslides could once again paralyse traffic.
To offer short-term protection, officials have begun installing sandbags at identified high-risk points. Incomplete tarring of various road sections is also underway. However, these efforts, officials admit, need to gain momentum swiftly, especially as pre-monsoon rains have already started lashing the region.
Apart from landslides, several monsoon-specific risks haunt the Charmadi section. Trees along the roadside pose a constant danger of falling and need to be cleared promptly before rains intensify. Wildlife is known to cross the highway frequently, endangering both the animals and passing vehicles.
The region lacks consistent mobile network coverage, creating complications for emergency response in the event of accidents. Seasonal waterfalls often swell during the monsoon and overflow onto the carriageway, occasionally washing across the road.
Additionally, persistent fog frequently engulfs the ghat, severely reducing visibility and prompting calls from authorities to regulate indiscriminate vehicle parking along the stretch.
Chintamani Kamble, assistant executive engineer, National Highways Authority of India (Chikkamagaluru division), said, “Retaining wall construction, drainage works and patch tarring are in progress at full pace. We aim to finish everything before monsoon fully sets in.”
In Sakleshpura taluk, near Doddathappale, the situation is even more worrying. The area that witnessed a major landslide during last year’s rains continues to be unstable. Despite assurances, less than 40% of stabilisation work has been completed, and the site shows no signs of meeting the July-end deadline set for completion. Even a direct inspection by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah—who had instructed contractors to accelerate work—seems to have had little lasting effect. A year on, progress remains disappointingly slow.
The larger 328 km stretch from Hassan to Mangaluru was divided into packages and tendered back in 2009–10. Fifteen years later, travellers still dread parts of the Shiradi Ghat, due to unscientific construction practices and chronic delays.
Structural experts have also questioned the design and safety of some retaining walls. Ideally, such walls in hilly terrain must be constructed at a 90-degree incline. However, many have been built like residential compound walls, casting doubt over their ability to withstand soil pressure and rain-induced landslips.
While some sections employ the Japanese-style mesh bolted to rock faces—a technique engineers vouch for—the actual conditions on the ground inspire little public confidence. “Anyone looking at these structures in person would struggle to feel safe,” said a local engineer.
Satyabhama, Deputy Commissioner of Hassan, stated, “We’ve issued a June-end deadline for completion of Shiradi Ghat works. Review meetings have been held, and precautionary measures are being taken in view of the upcoming monsoon.”
Despite multiple red flags and repeated disasters, progress on key safety works remains painfully slow. With rains already making their presence felt, the Mangaluru–Bengaluru highway hangs in the balance, vulnerable once again to nature’s fury—and human negligence.