Chikkamagaluru: The National Highway (NH) 169, connecting the temple town of Sringeri with Mangaluru via Mala and Karkala, will be out of bounds for heavy motor vehicles for more than three months.

With dilapidated bridges on the NH between Tanikodu and Dakshina Kannada district border, which passes through Kudremukh National Park, heavy vehicles were banned.However, the road was blocked for all sorts of vehicles on Tuesday following a landslide near Nemmar in Sringeri taluk. Vehicles will be allowed after the removal of the mud. The authorities are making efforts to clear the debris.Due to the onset of monsoon, deputy commissioner CN Meena Nagaraj issued an order prohibiting the movement of heavy vehicles on NH 169 from 123.80 km to 141 km, from Tanikodu to Dakshina Kannada district border.

The order is effective immediately and will remain in place until Sept 30 to ensure public safety.As per the order, the road, characterised by sharp turns and steep inclines, has its soil surface eroded during monsoon, reducing its effectiveness and creating hazardous conditions. This increases the risk of wheels of heavy vehicle getting stuck, disrupting traffic.In addition, four small bridges and culverts along this stretch are in a dilapidated state, with the potential for bridge pillars to erode during monsoon, posing a danger to heavy vehicle traffic.

The DC has ordered a ban on HMVs based on reports from executive engineer of the NH division in Shivamogga and superintendent of police Vikram Amathe.However, the authorities have suggested alternative routes for heavy vehicles due to this traffic restriction. Vehicles coming from Chikkamagaluru and Narasimharajapura are advised to take the Balehonnur-Magundi-Kalasa-Kudremukh-Dakshina Kannada district border route, while vehicles from Koppa are directed to travel via Koppa-Jayapura-Balehonnur-Magundi-Kalasa-Kudremukh-Dakshina Kannada district border.However, the order has not gone well among the local businessmen and residents. The bridges were in a dilapidated state for several years now, but the authorities have failed to take up measures and are now creating problems for the people. Now, heavy vehicles reaching Sringeri need to travel several kilometres, said one Shivakumar of Sringeri.In addition, the chances of roadblocks regularly near Nemmar cannot be ruled out due to unscientific road works. There will be repeated landslips, and the road was blocked twice in a week, said Ganesh.