Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Sep 16: Huge potholes on national highway sprang up due to heavy rainfall near Syndicate Circle, Manipal here on Tuesday September 15. Gaping holes opened due to the gushing of rainwater on the road instead of drains. This road happens to be the lifeline of the twin-cities of the town and Manipal.

Although this road was built at a cost of about Rs 13 crore in 2009-10, left portion of the road has suffered heavy damage on the elevated stretch of the road between KFC and Syndicate Circle, as the concerned had failed to provide storm drains. Vehicles have been banned from moving on this side of the road because of this fissure in the road, which is about one and half feet deep.

Manjunathaiah, NHAI engineer, and city municipal council president P Yuvaraj Puttur rushed to the spot and ensured that patch-up work began there immediately as a temporary measure. This road, which is part of proposed national highway between Malpe and Thirthahalli is at a stage where PWD is handing it over to NHAI, it is gathered. Manjunathaiah said that a clearer picture will emerge after feasibility study report is submitted to the central government. After 2009, road maintenance work was not conducted here, it is gathered, although as per norms, conducting maintenance work once in three years is the norm.

Heavy rains and one way flow of water have triggered potholes on the highway near Inox theatre, where a landslip had occurred on July 19. Ironically, the area is marked out as an eco-sensitive by the ecology department.

Now vehicles ply one way only. A divider was constructed recently under the supervision of SP Annamalai to avoid accidents. As per an estimate, about 75,000 vehicles ply on this road every day.

This is the only way for vehicles moving on Manipal - Agumbe road. An alternate road to reach Manipal is from Perampalli, but it is not possible for all vehicles to travel everyday on this route, and it also happens to be a time consuming proposition. Some experts feel that pressure on the road increases when vehicles which approach the elevated road near KFC at high speed, suddenly decrease their speed by applying brakes as the road becomes narrow all of a sudden.

Thousands of people depend on this route for their routine activities. Moreover, Manipal happens to be a beehive of activity day and night because of hospitals and educational institutions.

Recently, a heated discussion had taken place between ruling party councillors and NHAI officer on patch up work during CMC meeting. Ramesh Kanchan had given a week's deadline to complete this work.

Malpe - Agumbe state highway was officially upgraded to national highway after plenty of demands, but it is yet to be developed on par of a standard national highway. There is proposal to convert the road between Atrady and Kadiyai into four lane one, by increasing the width of the road to 18.4 metres from the current 13.6 metres with two-metre median. However, survey about land to be acquired is yet to be conducted, and this project needs about Rs 95 crore, officials of NHAI said.

Now potholes pose danger to commuters. The concrete has washed off because of poor quality of road construction. It is to be seen how many days the patch up work now being conducted will last.