Seepage of water slows down traffic on Mehkri Circle underpass

Seepage of water slows down traffic on Mehkri Circle underpass

The Hindu

Leaking pipes, tarring of patches of concrete carriageway blamed for the mess


Bangalore: A month after record rainfall hit the city, stretches of Mehkri Circle underpass still sport puddles of muddy water. There is visible seepage of water from the retaining walls and parts of the road.

The underpass was inaugurated in August 2001 by the then Chief Minister S.M. Krishna after more than two years of construction. Traffic density at Mehkri Circle and major entry and exit points from the highways leading to the city was increasing and traffic snarls were becoming a daily event.

Shamaraju and Co., who built the underpass, were under an agreement to maintain and carry out any necessary repairs during the first year of its use. The contract was not renewed and the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike is responsible for its upkeep now. The contractor's engineers say the concrete carriageway was repaired with tar and this could have weakened the surface. There was risk of the tarred surface being eroded by traffic and the tar flakes could be blocking the drains, aggravating the water seepage, they said. Some of the water seepage is through the retaining walls and is from leaking drainage pipes, motorists regularly using the underpass complain. "After the underpass was opened, we could drive easily onto road towards Hebbal within minutes instead of waiting at the intersection for 15 to 20 minutes. Now the situation is equally bad, no vehicle can go at high speed," said one frequent user.

BMP aware of it

According to the BMP, the problem of water seepage and water logging on the underpass was being looked into and long-term repairs will be undertaken soon.

The road may need resurfacing but the structure as such is in good condition, the civic body said.