‘Forest Dept to blame for Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway flooding’; PMO steps in for quick course correction
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, March 21: After the furore over the flooding of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with much fanfare to give a major shot in arm to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Karnataka, the Ministry of Surface Transport cracked whip for speedy course corrections. But it has emerged that the Forest Department had forced changes in the original design of the expressway, which made it vulnerable to flooding due to heavy rains in a short spell of time.
“Originally, the profile of road was not with overpass but following insistence of the Forest Department for providing animal overpass, the provision was incorporated by lowering the profile of the Highway. However, the provision of drainage arrangement at the location in question was blocked by the locals by dumping huge soil over the drain which resulted in stagnation of water on the main carriageway,” sources in the Ministry said.
It was reliably learnt that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stepped in for quick remedial actions, as the Opposition had sought to make the flooding an issue in the state, which is heading for May elections. “The issue of waterlogging near the Madanagar stretch was swiftly addressed,” sources said. The Expressway was inaugurated by Modi on March 12.
“There was waterlogging below the animal overpass at Sangabasavandoddi near Madapura village on Bengaluru- Mysuru Expressway. This happened due to untimely heavy rains in the area (3.9 mm against 0.1 mm normal). What added to the woes was the blockage of drainage path,” added the sources.
Officials in the Ministry said that efforts will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not take place in future. Long-term measures are being taken in this regard. “Besides completing RCC drain on service road, earthen shoulders till the edge of RCC drain will be paved for proper drainage. As it is an Access Controlled Highway, at some locations the adjoining fields are at lower level than service road, which are being addressed by the NHAI by providing a track adjacent to the service road,” said sources.
While the NHAI completed Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway (117 Km) substantially on March 9, a window of 90 days’ time is given for finishing items. “As far as service road is concerned, the work has been completed at most of the locations, except a few locations due to public agitations and court cases. Now, the NHAI is focusing to make the service roads through at all these residual locations,” added the officials.
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