Vehicle drivers cruising smoothly on National Highway 75 at Padil will suddenly feel blindfolded even as the vehicle totters no sooner they enter the railway underbridge at Padil on the outskirts of the city.
For, the flyover commissioned after an abnormal delay in April 2017 has been in a lower elevation thereby preventing flow of natural light during the daytime and the road surface has got completely damaged following constant water-logging.
Built through box-pushing technology, the underbridge has been mired with flaws every since its commissioning. As the surface of the underbridge is below the road surface from both the ends, rainwater always gets accumulated inside and motorists have a tough time particularly during the rainy season.
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The underbridge is part of the National Highways Authority of India’s Mangaluru Port Connectivity Project between BC Road and Nanthoor.
Ramachandra Nayak, who regularly uses the underbridge, said that the NHAI appeared to have made no attempt to address the water-logging issue inside the underpass. Consequently, the underpass is filled with potholes and craters thereby giving shivers to vehicle drivers, he said.
There are no lights either inside the underpass which remains pitch dark even during daytime because of its lower position, rued Harniish Raj, an entrepreneur having his office at Kannur. Lack of lighting makes drivers blind when they enter the underpass after a smooth drive from Padil Junction, he said.
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Rohan Kumar, a two-wheeler rider, said that it would be a test every time he passed through the underbridge as there was every chance of a heavy vehicle hitting him if he applied brakes to avoid craters. Those new to the stretch would have no idea of the road condition and often their vehicles get damaged, he said.
The underpass on carriageway of National Highway 75, which was commissioned recently, has no such issues as the carriageway is on the road level on both the sides.