Shiradi Ghat closed for 10 days after landslides topple heavy vehicles killing 2

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.