Sirsi: Clearing work on NH-766E expected to complete by July 17 evening

Sirsi: The clearing operation on the Sirsi-Kumta National Highway 766E, which has been blocked for the past 35 hours due to a landslide, is expected to be completed by the evening of Wednesday, July 17.

Clearing operations have been ongoing with the use of earth movers despite continuous rainfall over the past 24 hours. However, the continuous sliding of soil and trees from the hillside has hindered the progress.

After the landslide occurred at 1:45 AM on Monday night, clearing operations continued on Tuesday. Work resumed early Wednesday morning, and it is estimated that the road might be cleared by 6 PM.

If there is no rain on Wednesday, the sliding of soil might stop, said Tahsildar Sridhar Mundalamani. Meanwhile, water seeping through the eroded hillside is also contributing to the landslide, he added.

It is alleged that improper widening of the highway and cutting of the hillside during the Sagarmala project is a major reason for this problem.

Alternative routes have been suggested. Travelers from Sirsi to the coast are advised to use the Yellapur-Ankola, Sirsi-Yana, or Siddapur-Badaga Ghat routes.