Overflowing Cauvery cuts off road link in Krishnagiri

Krishnagiri: With over 2.6 lakh cusecs of inflows recorded at Bilugundulu, the entry point of Cauvery into Tamil Nadu, the overflowing river has disrupted traffic movement and has led to water logging on the road connecting Krishnagiri with Dharmapuri district via Natrampalayam and Hogenakkal.

“Vehicular movement on the road to Hogenakkal from Natrampalayam village (Krishnagiri district) was stopped after the Cauvery started flowing five foot above the road surface,” R. Natarajan of Natrampalayam told DC.

According to Natarajan, the gushing waters inundated low-lying areas like Thalavakottai close to the riverside, near Aalambadi coracle point, after inflow in Cauvery touched 2.60 lakh cusecs on Sunday night.

Thalavakottai people who noticed the flood waters entering the road have alerted other villagers of the risk in crossing the place.

As a preventive measure, they also asked their relatives to stop all vehicles at Natrampalayam.

The Dharmapuri district administration, due to water logging on the Hogenakkal-Krishnagiri road, is working on a new road link to temporarily connect the two districts through an alternate route.

The newly-formed road for about 200 metres starts at Hogenakkal’s Aalambadi village and reaches a place where another road leads to villages in Krishnagiri district, official sources said.

“A temporary mud road was formed to resume the traffic movement between Hogenakkal and Natrampalayam. This new road starts at Hogenakkal’s Aalambadi village and passes through the forest area before connecting the permanent road to Natramapalyam and Hogenakkal,” the Pennagaram thashildar G. Sadasivam told DC.

The official added, “only government buses were allowed to enter Hogenakkal and private vehicles were stopped at Madam check-post. Barring private vehicles entry into Hogenakkal will continue till the water level recedes in Cauvery.”