Work orders worth Rs. 2.30 crore issued to ensure safety of motorists

Mysore/Mysuru: Even as the work to construct a retaining wall atop Chamundi Hill between View Point and Nandi Statue Road is yet to be completed, several more retaining walls on the main road of the Hill and the road leading to Uthanahalli have collapsed due to heavy rains, endangering the motorists.

The Public Works Department (PWD) has undertaken the restoration of these retaining walls to ensure motorists’ safety. The main road to the Hill runs from Thavarekatte at the foothill to the parking lot on top of the Hill. The retaining walls, built many years ago, have either been damaged or broken in many places.

Similarly, the retaining walls on the road from Chamundi Hill to the Uthanahalli Jwalamukhi Tripurasundari Devi Temple have also been damaged and broken in places. Some of the damage to the retaining wall has occurred at places with a steep gradient, making these stretches particularly risky for motorists. As such, the PWD has prioritised the restoration of these retaining walls.

The PWD prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) along with an estimate for constructing concrete retaining walls on these two roads. It sought approval from the Government and initiated the tender process even before the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha Elections. Work orders have later been issued to contractors to commence the work.

Two contracts issued

PWD Executive Engineer Raju told Star of Mysore that a contract worth Rs. 1.8 crore has been awarded to one contractor for the restoration of retaining walls from Thavarekatte to the multi-level parking lot building atop the Hill while another contractor has been tasked with restoring the retaining wall along the road from Chamundi Hill to Uttanahalli for Rs. 50 lakh.

Both projects were initiated simultaneously before the start of the Lok Sabha election process, and already 50 percent of the work has been completed. The previously existing stone retaining wall has been removed at places and the available spaces have been expanded concrete walls with iron reinforcements are being constructed from the foundation level.

Instead of the earlier stone retaining wall, which was only 2 feet high, new 4 feet-high concrete retaining walls are being constructed at places where damages have occurred, providing increased safety for two-wheelers, cars, autos, tempos and buses travelling on this route.

Raju stated that the Government approved the construction of concrete retaining walls at the collapsed and weakened spots for the safety of motorists.

He mentioned that the construction of the retaining walls on the main road of Chamundi Hill and the road towards Uttanahalli is progressing rapidly. Additionally, on the other side of the road, areas eroded by rainwater are levelled with cement concrete.

He emphasised the responsibility of regularly maintaining all roads leading to the Hill, noting that the Department prioritises immediate repair as soon as any weakening is noticed.