Cracks in the retaining wall force Sringeri taluk administration to relocate residents
A retaining wall constructed recently to prevent landslips at Gorigudda in Sringeri town has developed cracks, forcing the taluk administration to relocate residents and shopkeepers
A retaining wall constructed recently to prevent landslips at Gorigudda in Sringeri town has developed cracks, forcing the taluk administration to relocate residents and shopkeepers from the area. The administration has made temporary arrangements for the residents at government hostels and rooms of the Sringeri Mutt. A landslip during heavy rains in 2023 had left a historic dargah near the taluk office in a precarious position, prompting the government to take up the wall construction project. The L-shaped wall, measuring 58 metres in length and 14 metres in height, was built at a cost of ₹1.84 crore. As the contractor has not yet been paid in full, the project is still considered ongoing under the Panchayat Raj Department.
Local residents spotted the cracks on Wednesday and noticed them widening as heavy rain continued in the town. As many as 15 houses, four commercial establishments and a lodge are located close to the structure. The taluk administration intervened and persuaded residents living near the wall to shift to safer localities. They were asked to take their valuables and move out as a precautionary measure. However, shopkeepers were reluctant to move, as doing so would mean a loss of earnings. Meanwhile, the district administration has asked experts to visit the site and submit reports on the quality of the structure and how it could be restored.
A team of engineers from Mangaluru with experience in handling landslip sites, along with another team specialising in water-proofing of check dams and retaining walls, visited the structure. Both teams have sought time to submit their recommendations. Anup Sanjyog, Tahsildar, told The Hindu that experts were studying the structure and would come out with suggestions. “The work was taken up by the Panchayat Raj Engineering Department. The contractor claims he has executed the project as per the approved plan and has not deviated from it. However, we have shifted the residents as a precautionary measure. We are awaiting the experts’ suggestions,” he said.
The issue has also triggered political debate. Minister D.N. Jeevaraj of the BJP visited the site on Friday and criticised officers over the poor execution of the work. He also alleged that corruption in the execution of the project was behind the substandard construction. Sringeri MLA T.D. Raje Gowda, who also visited the site, dismissed the corruption allegations as baseless and objected to politicising the issue. He said the district administration had invited experts to study the structure and suggest the necessary remedial measures.
The BriefWire