The National Highways division of Karnataka Public Works Department has completed work on the permanent restoration of Kempuhole river embankment (left hand side) in Kage Nari reserve forest on the Shiradi Ghat stretch of Bengaluru-Mangaluru National Highway 75 that was washed away at many places during rains in August 2018.
| Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY
The National Highways division of Karnataka Public Works Department recently completed work on the permanent restoration of Kempuhole river embankment on the Shiradi Ghat stretch of Bengaluru-Mangaluru National Highway 75 that was washed away at many places during rains in August 2018.
The permanent restoration work began in February-March 2024 with the Road Transport Ministry getting a technical study conducted by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), Bengaluru, that suggested measures for restoration.
| Photo Credit:
ANIL KUMAR SASTRY
Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has spent ₹41 crore on repairing the embankment that was damaged in at least 13 locations along the 25-km ghat stretch between Maranahalli in Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district and Gundya in Kadaba taluk of Dakshina Kannada district.
The permanent restoration work began in February-March 2024 with the Road Transport Ministry getting a technical study conducted by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), Bengaluru, that suggested measures for restoration in 2019. In 2020, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced sanctioning ₹125 crore for the restoration of three major ghats connecting the coast — Sampaje on NH 275, Charmadi on NH 73 and Shiradi — that were affected in the 2018 rains.
Concrete retaining walls were built from the base of the river valley till the concrete road level of the ghat at these locations to restore the road width. The Chowdeshwari temple stretch in Dakshina Kannada district had witnessed a massive landslide in 2018.
Mr. Gadkari inaugurated the permanent restoration work while inaugurating the cable-stayed bridge constructed across Sharavati river backwaters in Sagara taluk of Shivamogga district on July 14.
Restriction on movement of vehicles
While vehicular movement was completely banned through Shiradi Ghat for a couple of months soon after a deluge in August 2018, small vehicles were allowed thereafter, followed by buses, and finally, trucks. With temporary protection measures in place, including barricading the affected stretches, it was business as usual since 2019 even as the NH-PWD was working on the modalities of the restoration of affected stretches.
Published – July 22, 2025 01:35 pm IST
