Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (MS)

Bantwal, Jul 2: A section of the highway near Manihalla on the B C Road-Punjalakatte route, developed three years ago, began to collapse on one side. In response, sandbags have been placed to prevent further erosion.

The metal guard rail installed for motorists' safety has also collapsed along with the earth due to incessant rains. Previously, this stretch of the old highway frequently experienced mudslides. During the construction of the new highway, mud also slid and fell into nearby farmlands. The area below the highway is very deep, and building a retaining wall would involve significant costs, which has not been addressed so far.

The sandbags may not be effective in preventing further landslides for long. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) needs to devise a concrete solution. The issue of hill collapses from Manihalla to Vagga has persisted for many years, with large trees on the hill posing a risk of falling onto moving traffic.

NHAI had previously proposed land acquisition to provide a permanent solution to the problem, but the proposal did not materialize due to nearby farmlands being privately owned.

Mahabala Naik, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of NHAI Mangaluru, stated, "Currently, sandbags and tarpaulins have been placed on the side of the highway at Manihalla to prevent further collapse. A permanent solution can be implemented only after the monsoon season. In the future, a proposal for the construction of a retaining wall will be made following an inspection of the area."