Major landslide on Goa-Karnataka highway disrupts traffic

Panaji, Aug 9 (UNI) A massive landslide following heavy rains at Anmod Ghat on Goa-Karnataka national highway, 70 km from here, disrupted inter-state traffic since this morning causing untold miseries to the commuters besides badly affecting transport services.

Scores of trucks, besides passenger vehicles, pass through the national highway carrying essential commodities including eggs, chicken, fish, vegetables and milk to Goa from Karnataka on a regular basis.

Bordering Collem police officer Manoj Mardolkar said the mud came down breaking the retaining wall at a sharp turn, five kms away from Mollem check post, affecting 150 meters stretch on the national highway at Anmod Ghat.

The government machinery had been geared to clear the debris on a war footing. Normalcy may be restored in two or three days, police said.

Several vehicles were stuck up in the debris, but no casualty had so far been reported, police said.

Heavy vehicles from Goa were diverted from Chorlem Ghats to Karnataka. Karnataka counterpart was alerted to divert all vehicles to Goa from Ram Nagar, as the road had been closed for through traffic on either side.

South Goa Deputy Collector P K Velip is personally monitoring the works at the landslide site.

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