SHIVAMOGGA: Deputy Commissioner KA Dayananda has banned the movement of all kinds of vehicles on the Agumbe Ghat stretch of the National Highway 169A on account of its repair. In a press release, Dayananda said, “An order was issued earlier to prohibit the movement of vehicles between March 1 and 31. This order was taken back as the assistant executive engineer of national highways in Sringeri and the deputy conservator of forests at Kudremukh had sought permission from higher authorities and till that time the ghat road was open to the movement of vehicles.
Now, as both national highway authorities and the deputy conservator of forests got permission from the principal chief conservator of forests in Bengaluru to carry out the permanent repair of the road, there will be no plying of vehicles on the stretch from April 1 to 30”. Heavy rains during July 10- 13 last year resulted in a landslides at 7th and 14th hairpin curves of the ghat road.
Traffic diversion
Lighter vehicles: Regular buses, jeeps, vans, LCV (mini van) and two-wheelers coming from Shivamogga and moving towards Udupi and Mangaluru have to take a deviation at Tirthahalli and pass Koppa, Sringeri, Malaghat, Karkala and reach Udupi on NH 169. Heavy motor vehicles: Private buses, bullet tankers, ship cargo containers and big lorries have to move via Tirthahalli, Mastikatte, Hosangadi, Siddapura, Kundapura and reach Udupi on NH 52.
Other routes: Regular school-goers travelling in mini buses have to take the route passing Tirthahalli to reach Agumbe through Bidaragodu and Sringeri while other normal buses need to take Tirthahalli- Kalmane-Heggodu-Ramakrishnapura- Kammaradi- Sringeri route, the DC said.
As per Section 116 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, the national highway authorities have to put up proper sign boards to stop the movement of any vehicle on the prohibited route, he added.