Mysuru Road lane shut for traffic after wall collapse

Repair works start; sandbags, barricades put up to prevent more damage 
Curious onlookers at the collapsed retaining wall on Friday
Curious onlookers at the collapsed retaining wall on Friday

BENGALURU: A day after the retaining wall along Vrishabhavathi river near Mylasandra was washed away in heavy rain on Thursday evening, the traffic police and BBMP closed the west lane of Mysuru Road to vehicular traffic to carry out repair works.The decision was taken after BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar and Mayor M Goutham Kumar, along with other officials, inspected the site on Friday.

The duo issued immediate orders to BBMP engineers to take all measures to prevent any mishaps on the stretch of road following the wall collapse. However, the engineers blamed the National Highway Authority of India and the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, alleging that because of Metro works, the foundation of the road and surrounding areas had become weak, leading to the wall collapse. Surprisingly, they remained mum on the fact that other portions of the wall had collapsed in previous years during heavy rainfall. 

A bike that got washed away
| Pandarinath B

Speaking to reporters after the inspection, the mayor said the retaining wall was constructed 20 years ago and NHAI had recently built another one on it, without taking up any repair works. So, because of the heavy downpour on Thursday, the wall collapsed. Instructions have been issued to take up immediate works. “Many stretches on Mysuru Road have also been damaged because of the wall collapse and heavy rainfall, so the westward lane has been closed for repair works and alternative arrangements have been made. To ensure there are no more damages, sandbags have been placed and barricades erected,” the mayor said. 

The commissioner said apart from heavy rain, the water level in the river had also risen by three-four feet which increased the pressure on the retaining wall, leading to its collapse. “Temporary bunds are being put up to ensure that there is no further damage. A meeting of all officials from BBMP, NHAI and BMRCL will be held to find a permanent solution,” he added. 

‘Work not up to the mark’
Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, Rakesh Singh on Friday wrote to BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar instructing the civic body to take all preemptive action to mitigate any adverse monsoon effects. The letter pointed out that the collapse of the retaining wall on Mysuru Road “shows that implementation of (preemptive) work has not been up to the mark”. “Since storm water drains are the only conduits to safely carry the discharge, the minimum expectation is that the concrete structures designed to withstand the flood level flows are not washed away under moderate discharge. An inquiry may be held to ascertain what went wrong. Also, details of the works done and amount spent by the BBMP should be submitted to the government. BBMP must also form a team and make an assessment of all recent major SWD works,” the letter said.

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