Marking for deck construction work to drain rainwater begins

Mysore/Mysuru: The retaining wall works between the View Point and the Nandi Statue atop Chamundi Hill is nearing completion, with the focus now shifting to the construction of decks to channel rainwater safely.

Officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) said that once the deck work is completed, the stretch will be asphalted and reopened to vehicular traffic within the next three months.

Suspended since 2019

Vehicular movement on the Nandi route has remained suspended since 2019, after heavy rains triggered landslides.

The stretch has witnessed multiple collapses over the years. A minor landslip was reported in 2019, followed by a major landslide on Oct. 20, 2021, at nearly the same spot.

Subsequently, on Oct. 31, 2021, about 80 per cent of the road was affected in another slide. A third landslide occurred on Nov. 4, 2021, barely 10 metres from the Oct. 20 site.

The prolonged closure has hindered devotees’ access to the Nandi monolith, particularly during Dasara, when the site holds special religious significance.

To ensure long-term stability and prevent further landslides, the project has been designed with technical inputs from experts at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), Bengaluru.

The work was taken up under two tender packages, one valued at Rs. 9.75 crore and the other at Rs. 4.98 crore, covering retaining wall construction, deck installation and road asphalting.

With the retaining wall works almost complete, engineers are now concentrating on building culverts and decks to facilitate smooth drainage of rainwater along the slope.

“Marking for deck construction at road level has been taken up. Once this is completed, the decks will be concreted, following which the road will be asphalted and the Nandi route reopened to vehicular traffic,” said V. Mahadevaswami, Assistant Executive Engineer, PWD, Mysuru.

Officials pointed out that rainwater stagnation could trigger fresh landslides, making proper drainage a critical component of the project.

As Chamundi Hill falls within a forest zone, construction activity is restricted to between 6.30 am and 6.30 pm to minimise disturbance to wildlife.

At present, a few vehicles are cautiously using the mud track, but full traffic will be permitted only after the deck work and asphalting are completed.

The PWD has assured that the Nandi route will be reopened to the public once the final phase of the project is completed, restoring a key access road atop Chamundi Hill.