Retaining wall on M'luru-Madikeri highway develops cracks, risks collapse

Time of India

3 days ago

Madikeri: The location of the 2018 landslide on Mangaluru-Madikeri NH-275 is now at risk of collapse again. The expensive retaining wall, which took nearly five years to be built, has developed substantial cracks.
Authorities have directed residents below this wall to evacuate to a Madikeri relief centre. The DC, Venkat Raja, conducted an on-site inspection. For safety purposes, residents dwelling at the lower end of the road have been relocated to the Red Cross building.
The retaining wall, situated 4 kms from Madikeri's centre, was constructed following a significant 2018 landslide. The site initially utilised thousands of sandbags for protection, and substantial funding was allocated to construct the wall.
The project achieved completion in 2023, five years after its approval. However, merely two years post-completion, the wall displays significant structural damage and risks collapse.
Authorities have implemented barricades and established measures to ensure safe vehicular movement. Since 2018, lasting remedial work on the landslide-prone Mangaluru-Madikeri national highway has remained unrealised. Despite substantial funds allocated, the national highway faces collapse, and risks and endangers travellers during each monsoon period. The route features numerous retaining walls, including Rs 7.5 crore structure behind the DC office, which is currently undergoing reinforcement due to stability concerns.