KODAIKANAL: A total of 15 landslides had occured on Kodaikanal-Batlagundu road following heavy rains and traffic movement on this stretch came to a standstill on Tuesday.
There was a major landslide near Dumdumparai, about 45 km from Kodaikanal, on Monday night. Since it was late at night, the debris could not be cleared and traffic from the plains to the hill station and from Kodaikanal to the plains remained disrupted. Several vehicles were stranded on the ghat road, causing severe hardship to tourists and public.
Since vegetables like carrot, potatoes, radish, cabbage and other items harvested in the hilly villages of Poomparai, Mannavanur, Polur, Clavarai, Gundupatti, Pallangi and other areas could not be brought down to the plains.
On Tuesday, milk vans and petrol bowsers to Kodaikanal from Batlagundu were diverted through some rural roads and they proceeded with great difficulty. Highways Department engineers began clearing the obstruction on Tuesday.
Assistant engineer of the Highways department Madankumar, who engaged in clearing the road at Dumdumparai, said that there were 15 landslides along the road due to heavy rains and work was under way to clear the debris.