BELAGAVI
Traffic along the Belagavi-Panaji NH4A has come to a total halt since Saturday afternoon after the portion of a portion of an old bridge collapsed while a portion of the highway got washed away.
The portion of the old bridge collapsed and the road near the bridge was washed away during early hours on Saturday due to flooding of the Pandhari River, as torrential rains continued to thrash the Ramnagar-Londa region till late Friday.
Connectivity between Belagavi and Ramnagar has been lost totally due to the collapse of the bridge.
Commuters and motorists travelling on this route from Goa, Ramnagar and Joida talukas have to take a very long route via Alnavar to reach Londa, Khanapur and Belagavi.
“This bridge that was connecting Belagavi district with Joida taluka has become weak and dangerous. and with the road washed away, vehicles from Goa to Belagavi-Khanapur have to either take the Anmod-Khanapur road via Hemmadaga, which is narrow and in dilapidated condition, or have to travel about 25-30 kms extra via Alnavar,” a villager said.
The alternative bridge which is under construction is incomplete and the contractor has left the work on the NH4A. Until the new bridge is completed, connectivity in the above region will be cut off totally and the commuters have to either take a dilapidated road via Hemmadaga or the long route via Alnavar to reach Khanapur and Belagavi.
Meanwhile, large number of houses in the low-lying area of Londa village near the railway station have submerged due to the flooding of Pandhari River. The NDRF team and police on Friday had rescued a person who was being washed away in the flood waters.
