A stretch of the Mysuru-Nanjangud highway was closed for traffic on Friday — for the second time in one week — after water from the swollen Kapila overflowed on to the road.
The authorities were forced to divert traffic from near Mallanamoole Mutt situated near the bridge across Kapila river on the highway after water level rose in the morning.
The water started spilling on to the highway after the Irrigation Department stepped up discharge from the Kabini reservoir because of increased inflow.
Irrigation officials at the reservoir said they had to increase the discharge rate from 70,000 cusecs on Thursday to 80,000 cusecs on Friday after the inflow rate went up to 86,000 cusecs. In addition to the discharge from Kabini reservoir, water was being discharged at the rate of 7,200 cusecs from Nugu dam and 2,200 cusecs from Taraka dam, all of which led to the swelling of Kapila.
The Mysuru-Nanjangud road is part of National Highway 766, which connects Bengaluru with Ooty. Vehicular traffic on the road was diverted from near Kadakola to pass through the industrial area before reaching Nanjangud town.
A note from the Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru said there was a “situation” at Ponkhuzhi on NH 766, about 20 km from Bathery and 100 km from Mysuru, because of inundation of the road. “But, now it is fit for traffic,” the statement issued early on Friday said.
Meanwhile, police sources said traffic on the road to Suttur from Mysuru too had to be diverted owing to the overflowing Kapila river. Similarly, Talakad bridge was also out of bounds for traffic as the rising water level submerged the bridge.
Irrigation Department officials at the Kabini said rains have been forecast for the next five days as well, but the intensity is likely to be relatively lower.
Meanwhile, the district administration continued to issue periodic warnings to people residing in low-lying areas to evacuate to safer locations.
Though several agricultural fields in H.D. Kote taluk have been flooded, the proactive measures taken by the district administration came in for praise from farmers, who appreciated the management of water level in the reservoir. “They had the foresight to maintain adequate buffer so that they would not ve forced to release water suddenly,” said Vivek Cariappa, a farmer from H.D. Kote.