Landslide at Anmod Ghat as 50-year-old wall holding the road gives way

Ponda/Margao: A landslide took place across an 80-m-long stretch of Anmod Ghat on the Goa-Karnataka national highway, as the retaining wall holding it up collapsed due to heavy rainfall. This landslide disrupted traffic flow on the busy route. The South Goa district administration immediately imposed traffic restrictions on heavy commercial vehicles on the Anmod Ghat section.

South Goa collector Egna Cleetus on Saturday issued a notification restricting the movement of heavy vehicles from the Karnataka side towards Ponda for 60 days. “Continued movement of heavy vehicles on the damaged stretch poses a serious risk to public safety and could lead to further deterioration of the road infrastructure,” the notification stated.

While heavy commercial vehicles face restrictions, essential service vehicles and passenger transport buses will continue to operate normally on the affected stretch. DySP (traffic) has been tasked with monitoring and regulating traffic movement to prevent incidents.

Yogesh Shahapurkar, an assistant engineer of the national highway division of the PWD, said the retaining wall was around 50 years old and had turned fragile. The soil filled in it must have soaked in the rainwater, resulting in its collapse, he said.

The engineer said they have already started work to pave a way for construction of the new retaining wall.

The PWD’s executive engineer for works division-XIV (NH) at Fatorda has been directed to undertake immediate repair and restoration work. The department will have to restore the road to its original condition within the 60-day restriction period and submit a stability report to the collector’s office.

Ponda police said they had immediately diverted the traffic via one lane and police personnel have been recruited to prevent any untoward situation.

The Anmod Ghat section serves as an important link between Goa and Karnataka. The traffic restrictions are expected to affect commercial transportation between the two states.

A local from Dharbandora said the road is essential for the traffic as the alternative road that connects Mollem to Khanapur through the jungle has developed potholes and the road being in a forested area is risky for travel during the monsoon.