The first blast of south western monsoons hit the coastal and south interior Karnataka earlier than predicted, resulting in heavy downpour.
The first blast of south western monsoons hit the coastal and south interior Karnataka earlier than predicted, resulting in heavy downpour.
This region, which is witnessing massive infrastructure development under the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Programme and Coastal Management, has suffered its share of rain woes.
The worst was felt at Sampaje Madikeri Road, which has reached the final stages of the four-lane conversion, but much of its work like shouldering, medians, and paver finishing in many places was still pending. The rains have dampened the spirit of contractors of the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL).
“We were not expecting rains till June 6 as per the forecast of the Met department. We thought we still had some more time. But this blast has toppled the apple cart. Unfortunately, the district administration of Kodagu district had also allowed movement of heavy tonnage vehicles like passenger buses and trucks from 6 am on June, on the incomplete road. Now the entire newly laid road is thickly coated with mud. For a good 15-20 km, nobody will believe if this was the road that was getting ready for inauguration,” said Sadashiva Rao, a site supervisor at Sampaje.
The KSRTC Madikeri and Mangalore divisions have reported delayed arrivals due to slushy roads in the past 48 hours.
While in Mangalore, the concretisation of roads under the urban development programme has just completed, at many places, the Mangalore City Corporation was yet to construct storm water drains and shoulders by the side of these roads.
The storm water, which is flows on the road, has become a major traffic hazard. There are huge pools of water wherever there are humps.
No world for old men, women
Several swanky buildings are coming up in the city. Many existing establishments have spruced up their premises by laying fine vitrified tiles and polished granites are being used. Even the stairs that are exposed to rainwater are made of fine flooring material.
“These are death traps for old people. I slipped and fell while coming down from the stairs of a bank. A security guard helped. He told me that I was the third one to fall in the past two days,” said Rathnakar Shetty, owner of an eatery.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=spacer}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}