NHAI claims that flooding of the roads below was a creation of the media
With National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) shirking its responsibility of preventing flooding at Pumpwell Circle, Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) completed construction of a cross-drain below the flyover.
The 100-metre-long cross-drain is covered by perforated grills to dispose rainwater that accumulates at the Circle. The cross-drain is connected to the main drain nearby. MCC had commenced work on the cross-drain a couple of months ago.
MCC Commissioner Akshy Sridhar had told The Hindu in July last week that the Corporation took up the cross-drain work after NHAI failed to address the problem of flooding despite a letter by the Corporation. A concrete drain with precast slab along with three chambers enclosed by perforated plates would be constructed, he had said.
The Pumpwell flyover is part of the four-lane National Highway 66 (Kochi-Panvel). Construction of the flyover stretched beyond a decade making the project an object of mockery on social media. After completion of the flyover, roads beneath used to get flooded during heavy rain.
When the flooding problem was raised at a Disha meeting chaired by MP Nalin Kumar Kateel in Mangaluru in July, NHAI Mangaluru Project Director Shishu Mohan claimed that flooding is a creation of the media. “They zoom in on small water puddles and show as if the road is flooded,” he had told the participants of the meeting.
Soon thereafter, MCC decided to address the problem as NHAI’s indifference was inconveniencing motorists and local residents.
On September 22, Mr. Sridhar told The Hindu that MCC has written to NHAI seeking reimbursement of the cost incurred towards construction of the cross-drain.
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