Charmadi Ghat sees two dozen accidents in less than a month

Mangaluru: Although it has been less than a month since the onset of the monsoon in the state, the treacherous Charmadi Ghat road, which has as many as 11 hairpin curves across the steep stretch, has already witnessed two dozen accidents, of which around seven are reportedly serious incidents. However, no fatalities have been reported thus far.
The floods that ravaged Karnataka last year left a rather significant portion of Charmadi Ghat damaged.The road was only recently fixed and made fit for commuting. “Owing to massive landslides, the stretch was closed to traffic, but in less than a month, there have been more than two dozen accidents on the road. This is largely a consequence of shoddy workmanship. Furthermore, the asphalt used is of a very poor quality,” said a police officer, in charge of probing accidents.
Landslides had been reported in 14 spots on the Charmadi Ghat Road following the flood in August 2019, following which the district administration in Chikkamagaluru and Dakshina Kannada decided to close the road for traffic.
A source, well acquainted with the treacherous road, said that travelling on the stretch may soon turn fatal considering the heavy showers lashing the region in the past few weeks. “The road needs to be repaired in places such as Annappa Betta. This will take a long time,” he added. He was quick to add that the stretch of the road in Dakshina Kannada was in a better condition than in Chikkamagaluru.
Dheeraj Sheldon D’Souza, a resident of Coove in Chikkamagaluru, attributed the accidents to rash and reckless driving.