With the Hassan district administration completely banning vehicular movement on National Highway 75 between Maranahalli and Donigal in Sakleshpur taluk on Friday, the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mangaluru, has sent an SoS to the Union government to temporarily restore road connectivity immediately.
A portion of National Highway 75 embankment near Donigal slipped early on Thursday morning prompting the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Hassan district administration to regulate vehicular movement on the stretch. Sensing further danger, Hassan Deputy Commissioner R. Girish on Friday completely banned vehicular movement on the stretch.
KCCI president Isaac Vas in letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that National Highway 75 is a crucial link between the coastal region and other parts of the State as well as other States. The stretch of the highway between Sakleshpur in Hassan district and Gundya in Dakshina Kannada district has been under repair for over a decade thereby affecting trade and commerce in the region severely, he said.
The national highway has been the lifeline for export and import trade through New Mangalore Port, Mr. Vas said and added that it also facilitates movement of LPG to many parts of the State and Andhra Pradesh. It is of strategic importance for the country as the State’s only refinery, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd., the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve and the upcoming Coast Guard Academy are located around Mangaluru.
The closure of the highway will cause significant disruption of trade and commerce activities, including shortage of LPG, agricultural products and affect EXIM shipment. Despite undergoing repairs many a time in the last decade, nothing worthwhile has happened on the national highway to ensure seamless road connectivity, Mr. Vas regretted.
As such, the Union government should take immediate steps to temporarily restore road connectivity. It also should take long-term measures to provide an all-weather road connectivity through the stretch, he said.
Alternative routes
Meanwhile, the Hassan Deputy Commissioner has suggested that Charmadi Ghat be used as an alternative route for light vehicles (up to six wheels) and Sampaje Ghat (via Madikeri) for heavy vehicles in view of the closure of National Highway 75.
Chikkamagaluru Deputy Commissioner K.N. Ramesh Babu in his Friday order said that ordinary KSRTC buses, goods vehicles up to six wheels and light motor vehicles as well as commercial vehicles can operate via Charmadi Ghat between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. He has completely banned vehicular movement on the stretch between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.
