Vehicular traffic was disrupted on Bodi-Munnar ghat road since Wednesday night owing to a massive landslip on 14{+t}{+h}hairpin bend caused by heavy rainfall on the Western Ghats.
Big boulders and heaps of soil blocked the entire road, leaving a small space for persons to cross on foot.
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation and private bus operators suspended all services to Munnar and other places in Kerala from Bodi, Periyakulam and Madurai since Wednesday night, and private vehicles and trucks were diverted either through Cumbum Mettu or Kumuli ghat road to reach Munnar.
Tourists affected
With commencement of summer season, flow of tourists to Munnar has increased. Closure of the ghat road made it difficult for the tourists, who had to travel an additional 100 to 120 km to reach Munnar.
Estate workers too could not go for work in the morning as jeep operators did not operate their vehicles.
All vehicles were stranded on the ghat road since morning. Later, police stopped the vehicles at Mundhal check-post and diverted them through Cumbum.
Restoration work
Restoration work could commence only at 10 a.m., with workers of the Department of Highways clearing debris from the road. Earth moving equipment were also utilised to speed up the work.
However, officials could not predict how long it would take to restore the road for traffic.
“We cannot predict the time of completion of work. If there is any rain in the evening, the work will get disrupted,” said highways officials.
Late afternoon, two-wheelers were allowed to cross the landslip spot after debris was cleared to a certain extent.
Last year, landslip was reported in more than 20 places and the road with 18 hairpin bends remained closed for traffic for more than a month.
