BELAGAVI
Traffic was brought to a halt for several hours on Tuesday morning after a heavy truck heading to Goa via the Khanapur-Jamboti route veered off and got stuck in the roadside mud.
This led to a huge traffic jam on both sides of the road, leaving long queues of vehicles and frustrated commuters, including many trucks carrying vegetables to Goa.
The recently built Chorla highway from Goa to Belagavi, developed by the National Highways Authority and Karnataka PWD, is currently closed to heavy vehicles as the Kusamalli bridge is incomplete.
Because of this, heavy vehicles are being diverted through the Khanapur route, adding pressure to the already narrow road and forcing truckers to use the Khanapur-Jamboti-Chorla route instead. However, the narrow road makes it hard for large vehicles to pass each other, leading to blockages.
On Tuesday morning, one trucker tried to give way to another, but the truck slipped into the roadside mud and blocked the road completely. This stopped all kinds of transport, including public buses and vegetable delivery vehicles, and caused queues stretching for kilometres.
The jam also affected schoolchildren, with some missing school and others having to walk long distances to reach their classes.
Meanwhile, the Anmod Ghat route is also partly closed as the highway has caved in at one spot. With both main and alternative routes facing problems, the situation has shown the urgent need for better roads connecting Goa to Belagavi.
