Belagavi residents seek lasting solutions to flooding

Time of India

9 hours ago

Belagavi: With the monsoon nearing, residents across Belagavi district — especially in Chikodi and Nippani taluks — are demanding lasting flood-control solutions. Annual submersion of low-lying bridges over the Krishna, Vedganga, and Doodhganga rivers severs connectivity.
In Belagavi city, Ballari Nala overflows due to encroachments and silt, flooding farmland and roads, causing crores in losses. Citizens lament inaction despite years of appeals.
During the monsoon season, as the water level in the Krishna and its tributaries increases, the lower bridges in the Chikodi subdivision submerge, cutting off road connectivity between villages. These low-level bridges lie in the Nippani, Chikodi, Kagwad, Athani, and Raibag taluks.
Every year, villages are cut off from the road and forced to use alternative routes. No serious efforts were made to raise the bridges and maintain traffic as usual.
More than 14 bridges, including Barwad-Kunnur, Jatrat-Bhivashi, Akkol-Sidnal, Karadaga-Bhoj, and Bhojawadi-Bhoj, built across the Vedaganga River in Nippani taluk, Malikwad-Dattawad, Examba-Dattawad on the banks of River Doodh Ganga, Yadur-Kallol, Diggewadi-Ingali, Manjari-Bhavansaudatti, Jugul-Khidrapur, Mulwad-Chinchali, Ugar-Kudachi, and Manjari-Ingali on the banks of River Krishna, submerge in the first phase as the river flow increases.
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It has been about 10 years since the construction of Kallol-Yadur, Diggewadi-Ingali, Jugul-Khidrapur, Molwad-Chinchali, and Ugar-Kudchi bridges on the banks of Krishna River began. The work is still progressing at a slow pace.
Chandrakant Hukkeri, a social worker from Chikodi, said the stalled bridge work should be completed. The people's representatives and officials should focus on facilitating the people living along the riverbanks.
Subhash Sampagavi, assistant commissioner, Chikodi, said there are alternative routes for all the villages where road connectivity is cut off. If the necessary plan is formulated and implemented to upgrade the low-level bridges, it will also benefit the people, and it will be possible to increase the height of the low-level bridges.
Nala issues in Belagavi city
Ballari Nala of Belagavi causes hardship to the public and farmers every year during the rainy season.
The nala, which originates in Yallur in Belagavi taluk and flows for about 30km, has become a huge drain. In the rainy season, the nala floods hundreds of hectares of agricultural land in the areas of Anagol, Shahapur, Vadagavi, Junne-Belagavi, Madhavpur, and Halga, creating havoc. Farmers suffer losses worth lakhs of rupees every year due to water intrusion into their fields.
The nala enters houses in Samarth Nagar, Old PB Road, Kapileshwar Colony, and Shastri Nagar, disrupting people's lives.
According to deputy commissioner Mohammad Roshan, the district administration and city corporation are formulating a plan to resolve the issue of Ballari Nala, and all efforts are being made to implement the plan after the monsoon season.