Mangaluru: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s entourage, which is en route to Kukke Subrahmanya Temple, has been delayed due to water logging on Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway-75 at Udane.
Kumaraswamy and his family are travelling from Dharmasthala to Kukke, via the Puttur-Jalsur route, to perform special rituals at the temple. The chief minister is likely to reach Kukke after 10 am.
Heavy rain in Puttur and Belthangady taluks since Monday night resulted in water-logging in Udane that led to the disruption of vehicular movement on the Manglauru-Bengaluru highway.
Rain in the region has led to a heavy flow of water in the ‘Kempu Hole’ which flooded the road from midnight onwards.
By midnight, there was nearly one-foot water on the road. By Tuesday morning, the water level has increased to around 3-4-feet.
The police diverted traffic to Bengaluru via Ichalampady-Mardala-Gundya to reach Shiradi Ghat. Vehicles moving towards Mangaluru were diverted at Gundya to travel on the Periyashanthi-Ichlampady route.
Through the diverted route, one has to travel an additional 50 km to reach their destination and on a narrow road.
The Nethravathi is flowing above the danger level in Uppinangady. If the situation continues, then water is likely to enter the Sahasralingeshwara Temple in Uppinangady.
The Bengaluru-Mangaluru NH-75 on the Shiradi Ghat stretch in Sakleshpur taluk remained blocked for the second consecutive day since Monday due to landslides.
Mangaluru resident Ruben told that he has been stuck for more than 12 hours. “I left Mangaluru at 10.15 pm on Monday and I am still stuck in Shiradi Ghat at 10.30 am.
Following the blockade, all buses to Bengaluru and Mangaluru were delayed by several hours. On Monday, even Kumaraswamy’s cavalcade had to proceed via Charmadi Ghat to reach Dharmasthala due to a landslide on the Shiradi Ghat section.