Collector T.G. Vinay has announced that with intermittent drizzle being experienced on the ghat road leading to Kodaikanal hills, the pace of restoration works has slowed down on Sunday. As a result, heavy vehicles would not be permitted for the next two days.
The Gaja cyclone’s influence led to heavy rain on Friday that many tanks and dams had received water. Rains accompanied by wind led to uprooting of trees on many locations. In the process, it also damaged electric poles and private/public properties.
Standing crops across the district waiting for harvest too had been destroyed in the cyclone. While dwellings were partially and fully damaged, roads had to be relaid on many stretches, including highways. The normal life came to a standstill.
Adequate campaign to be safe and the forecast from the IMD officials helped in educating the people on remaining indoors. All this had saved human and cattle lives.
Considering the intensity of the damage, the district administration had prepared elaborate plans to handle it. Different teams were sufficiently equipped with machinery and vehicles. Some of the senior officials in the district from different departments were working round-the-clock to coordinate the progress, Dr. Vinay said.
When the rains stopped on Friday, works to repair the ghat road were taken up on a war-footing and by Saturday evening, light vehicles were allowed on both sides on Kodaikanal ghat section.
Vehicles from Batlagundu and Palani were allowed. When the officials were confident of plying heavy vehicles too from Sunday, the drizzle on the hill section had hindered the work, he said and added that hence as a safety measure, heavy vehicles had to wait for two more days.
A highways engineer camping at Oothu, who was supervising up to Perumalmalai, said that big boulders couldn’t be moved at many locations. Hence, we had to destroy them by using mild explosives. Similarly, the landslide had resulted in shrinking of carriage space. The sides had to be strengthened by dumping sandbags and concrete materials, which were brought from the plains.
Many tourists were caught unawares by the Gaja cyclone and couldn’t understand the reasons for being stranded since Friday night. According to a private resort manager Philip, many who had come from northern States and from cities like Mumbai who had planned to get down to the plains on Saturday were told to wait as the roads were blocked. With power off and shops shut in the hills, the tourists had to remain indoors, he added.
Using the opportunity, some private cab operators demanded fancy price for a drop to stations like Madurai. Tourists were advised to stay back for two more days in the hill station, he added.
Meanwhile, the Collector added that in view of restoration, schools in Kodaikanal will remain closed on Monday.
