Belthangady, Jan 4: Two ministers were caught up in the traffic jam on Charmadi Ghat road which connects Mangaluru and Chikkamagaluru district on Saturday.
Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader and Youth services and Sports Minister K Abhyachandra Jain were returning to Mangaluru from an official function in Chikkamagalur when the incident took place.
The traffic was disrupted for more than an hour after a bus slipped into a roadside ditch near the sixth curve at the Charmadi Ghat, which is now a key alternate route suggested in wake of the closure of Shiradi Ghat. Around 4,500 vehicles ply along Charmadi Ghat following the closure of the Shiradi Ghat section.
On Sunday vehicles continued to move at a snail's pace through Charmadi Ghat. Motorists said that the density of traffic has increased. Owing to lack of information on the curves, mishaps are taking place on the stretch, they said.
Road users alleged that 10-wheeler trucks were plying along the stretch at night despite restrictions. The density of vehicles increases from the first curve to the 10th curve and at Annappaswamy Temple on the stretch. The movement of heavy vehicles should be restricted, they said.
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim said Home Guards had been deployed at Charmadi Ghat to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
Superintendent of Police Sharanappa S D is personally monitoring the traffic at the spot. œIt is true that traffic came to a halt on Friday evening. The narrow road had aggravated the problem. It will take at least two to three days to stabilise the flow of vehicles, he said.
The deputy commissioner said he had already spoken to his counterpart in Chikkmagaluru, B S Shekharappa, to ensure smooth flow of vehicles. Confusion over the routes also aggravated the situation. There was no problem on the Mani-Mysuru route, another alternative to reach Bengaluru. Despite an increase in the traffic on the stretch, no block has been reported.
The pending work on the Mani-Mysuru stretch will be completed by January 15. The KSRTC is operating 21 trips from Mani-Shiradi stretch. If the need arises, additional buses will be deployed, the deputy commissioner said.
There was a huge traffic pile-up at Charmadi Ghat on Friday, the first day of the closure of Shiradi Ghat. The administration had allowed KSRTC vehicles and light vehicles to ply via Charmadi Ghat. Since two vehicles cannot proceed at a time in the opposite directions on the narrow road, long queues of vehicles were seen on either direction up to 30 km, sources said.
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