Kodagu District In-Charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, who visited the district yesterday, inspected the damaged road at Boikeri village linking Mysore and Madikeri. He also visited Thayagaraja Colony in Madikeri town where houses were damaged due to heavy downpour.

Later, speaking to press persons at Sudarshan Guest House, Dr. Mahadevappa, who holds the PWD portfolio, said that as per the preliminary report submitted by the district administration, the district has incurred a loss of at least Rs. 24 crore due to heavy rainfall. Based on the consolidated report, the government is committed to sanction funds to take up relief works, he said.

Stating that the district had received more than double the amount of rainfall than last year by this time, he said that the average rainfall this year till date was 219.79 cms (86.54 inches), while it was 91.67 cms (36.03 inches) last year. “I am aware the heavy downpour has adversely affected normal life. I have directed the DC to undertake relief work on a war footing,” he said.

Gabion technology for Madikeri road repair

Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) Managing Director R. Srinivas, speaking to press persons here yesterday, said that there were two options to repair the massive breach in Mysore-Madikeri road at Boikeri village – either build a concrete retaining wall or use the Gabion technology. “Senior officials have been told to inspect the spot and submit a report, based on which repair work will be undertaken,” he said.

The highway work between Sampaje and Maani, which is progressing in a slow pace, will be expedited to complete by May 2014, Srinivas said.

What is Gabion technology

A gabion is usually a box filled with concrete or sometimes sand and soil for use in civil engineering, road building, and military applications. A gabion wall is a retaining wall made of stacked stone-filled gabions tied together with wire. Gabion walls are usually battered (angled back towards the slope) or stepped back with the slope rather than stacked vertically. The most common civil engineering use of gabions is to stabilise slopes against erosion. Other uses include retaining walls, temporary floodwalls and silt filtration from runoff.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / July 29th, 2013