With National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) indifferent to flooding at Pumpwell Circle on NH 66 and accusing the media of exaggerating the issue, Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has taken up the task of draining out rainwater from the area.
MCC Commissioner Akshy Sridhar told The Hindu , “We wrote to NHAI to take this [cross drainage work] up. Since we didn’t get any response, MCC has taken up the work to avoid inconvenience to motorists.”
The work started on July 24 and is expected to be completed this week.
NHAI Project Director of Mangaluru Shishu Mohan, during the recent Disha meeting chaired by MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, had brushed aside the issue as a mere creation of the media. “There could be small water puddles here and there, which are blown up by the media and passed off as flooding,” he had told the meeting.
Mr. Sridhar said concrete drains with precast slabs are being constructed to drain out rainwater and to prevent stagnation at the Circle. Perforated plates would be fixed atop the drains for speedy dispersal of water, he said.
Mr. Mohan had complained about clogging in the nearby major stormwater drain, which actually falls within the scope of the four-lane highway and the flyover. The MCC has taken up work of desilting the drain near the flyover again, the Commissioner said.
MCC Executive Engineer S. Ravishankar said two cross drains, one on the city side and the other on Padil side, would be constructed to drain out the water. Work had been slowed down by rains in the past two days. The drains, covered by heavy duty perforated sheets, would open to the stormwater drain on the left hand side of the flyover, he said.
The Commissioner has instructed the engineering department to seek reimbursement from NHAI of the cost incurred in constructing the drains, Mr. Ravishankar added.
