Villagers blamed for waterlogging at Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway

BENGALURU: The officials of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have blamed the villagers of Madapura and adjoining areas of the newly opened Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway for blocking the drainage which led to waterlogging of the expressway. Parts of the expressway near Sanghabasavanadoddi village in Ramanagar district was flooded in the summer rains on Friday night and Saturday morning.

Villagers of Madapura and surrounding areas are trying to make a shortcut to access their agriculture fields for which they blocked the drain with soil for a width of 3 meters, alleged NHAI. The blockage, which resulted in the flooding of the expressway, has been removed for smooth flow of traffic along the expressway, said the NHAI officials.

The NHAI also attributed the waterlogging to excess rainfall during summer. “There was excess rainfall of 3.9 mm as against 0.1 mm of normal rainfall in the region," said NHAI officials.

The motorists expressed displeasure over the inundation of the Expressway who had to wade through the waterlogged road.

Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha said that pipelines have been installed to prevent further waterlogging of the expressway during rains.

The expressway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 12