Agumbe Ghat road damaged, traffic restricted

Mangaluru: Vehicle movement has been restricted on Agumbe Ghat connecting Udupi and Shivamogga district after the landslide at the Ghat section on Thursday morning. Heavy rain since two days in the coastal districts is said to have resulted in landslide at Agumbe Ghat on Thursday.

National Highway 169 A connecting Udupi and Tirthahalli passes through Agumbe Ghat. The incident took place at the 7th hairpin curve in the Ghat. In the incident the border of the 7th curve has collapsed for about 400 meters exactly at the Shivamogga-Udupi district border.

Only the side of the road has been damaged in the incident. Deputy Commissioner of Udupi Priyanka Mary Francis has banned the movement of heavy vehicles on the Ghat section. In a letter, the Deputy Commissioner has restricted movement of heavy loaded trucks, tippers and also buses at night on the road till the road is repaired.

Only Light Vehicles and Ambulances are allowed to take this road. The Deputy Commissioner has also asked the National Highway officials to undertake the repair work and put necessary warning sign boards at the Ghat section.

Officials said that sand bags and barricades would be placed in the area. Following heavy rains on Thursday morning, schools declared holiday in Belthangady. Some roads were flooded in Mangaluru-Kasargod border. Rivers were brimming with water and streams and rivulets were flooded in several places in the district. However no major untoward incidents have been reported in the region.