Madikeri: Night time travel ban on Sampaje Ghat section due to landslide concerns
Madikeri: The Kodagu district administration has implemented a nighttime ban on vehicular movement along the NH 275 section of Sampaje Ghat, connecting Sampaje to Madikeri, amid fears of potential landslides. The restriction, effective from Thursday, prohibits travel between 8 PM and 6 AM.
This precautionary measure was enacted following a report from the Assistant Executive Engineer of the National Highways Authority of India, Madikeri Sub-Division, highlighting the risk of the hillside near Kartoji on the highway collapsing due to persistent heavy rain. As a result, the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja issued the order to restrict traffic.
The movement restriction applies to all vehicles except those used by officers and personnel involved in emergency services and natural calamity-related tasks.
ALSO READ: Heavy rains lead to closure of Shirady Ghat section for vehicular movement on NH-75
The Sampaje Ghat section is a vital route for travelers heading to Madikeri, Mysuru, Bengaluru, and Ooty, and it also serves as an alternative path when the Shirady Ghat is closed due to landslides. With the recent landslide near Maranahalli, traffic on the Shirady Ghat section is also banned, adding to the urgency of the situation.
Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja has advised travelers heading to Mysuru and Bengaluru via Madikeri to use the Charmadi Ghat-Kottigehara route as an alternative.
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Minister Patil chairs industry meetings to chart growth for key sectors in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Tuesday chaired meetings with industry representatives from the aerospace and defence, machine tools, auto/EV, and green energy sectors to discuss sector growth and government support measures.
The meetings were attended by leading industrialists and their representatives, with some participating virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister for Large and Medium Industries said Karnataka is at the forefront of the country’s aerospace and defence sectors.
He noted that Suzuki and Toyota plan to launch aerial taxi services in Japan by 2028, with Bengaluru-based Sasmos supplying electrical equipment for the project.
Industrialists suggested introducing similar “fly-taxi” services in Karnataka through an appropriate policy, which Patil said would be examined seriously.
The minister highlighted the need to establish testing centres and Common Facility Centres for the aerospace and defence industries and assured that these facilities would be provided.
Suggestions were also made to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for sector growth.
Karnataka has urged the Central Government to approve Defence Corridor projects in the Bengaluru North–Kolar–Chikkaballapur and Dharawada–Vijayapura–Belagavi regions.
Industrialists also suggested a corridor between Bengaluru and Mysuru, Patil said.
He said Karnataka aims to become a hub for defence electronics manufacturing, with plans to establish a 200-acre Defence Electronics Park and a 100-acre Avionics and Sensor Park.
These projects will be implemented once the Special Investment Region is operational, and land availability will not be an issue.
On the machine tools sector, Patil said the industry has recorded an annual turnover of Rs 36,500 crore and is witnessing steady growth.
Large-scale exhibitions have increased demand, and the state must strengthen its capabilities to develop control systems for heavy machinery. One testing unit is already operational in Bengaluru, with another planned for Tumakuru. Expansion of vocational training institutes in industrial areas is also underway.
In the Auto and EV sector, Vision Group members highlighted the need for a network of dry ports and more EV charging stations across the state.
Patil noted that the Tata Group is manufacturing EV buses in Dharawada for nationwide supply. Plans for mini excavator production and export facilitation were also discussed, along with the establishment of a testing facility for two-wheeler EVs.
For the Green Energy sector, the group emphasised the need for a suitable policy on battery-based energy storage and the establishment of data centres.
Patil assured that the government will seriously consider all suggestions and respond positively.
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