Mangaluru, Aug 16: The Shiradi Ghat stretch of National Highway 75 is likely to remain closed for vehicles for next 10 days owing to landslips triggered by heavy rain.
Heaps of rubble falling on the road brushed away two buses and a gas tanker truck, and left hundreds of vehicles stuck on the stretch on Tuesday. One person was found dead, while another is missing as the gas tanker fell off the road to a depth of 150 m.
Vehicular movement has been affected on the stretch for the last three days because of several landslips.
Around 40 passengers were in for a shock when a heap of rubble falling on the road pushed the KSRTC bus they were travelling by into a gorge. Another private bus met with a similar situation. However, there were no casualties in the incidents.
The gas tanker fell off the road late in the night on Tuesday. K. Ranganath, District Fire Officer, said. “The truck has fallen 150 m off the road. We could not go near the truck in the night as it was raining heavily. The staff reached the spot on Wednesday morning. There is leakage of gas from the tanker,” he said.
The staff found a body near the truck. One more person is feared to have died in the incident.
Minister for Public Works H.D. Revanna told reporters in Hassan that the government would take up a project to avoid landslips in the region permanently. “We will work out a plan to stop landslips permanently after the rain recedes,” he said.
Welcoming the move Dr Arathi Krishna told coastaldigst.com that Indians stranded in any foreign country can utilize this facility. "Initially, I was approached by Mr Zakaria and Mr Sheik who wanted chartered flights to help their employees fly back to India. I asked them to write to the Indian Ambassador in Saudi Araia Mr Ausaf Sayeed. Then I requested the ambassador to forward the request to Joint Secretary Dr Nagendra Prasad, who is in charge of gulf division in the Ministry of External Affairs, and then to Secretary on charge of Gulf and then I requested Secretary of Economic Relations Mr T S Tirumurti who was also in charge of Gulf to follow this up," she said. 
Comments
What a pathetic situation. Recently opened for travel. Disaster spoiled everythig. Man's intervention on nature and natural source caused everything
I suggest some experts should study about the Shiradi Ghat and should find alternate way if that not safe for nature and human. Panel should be like Gadgil committee or similar panel
Shiradi Ghat is not safe. That project was not good for nature.
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