Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady

Beltangady, Jul 7: The Beltangady region has been experiencing heavy rainfall over the past week, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Amidst this, thick fog engulfed the Charmadi Ghat area connecting Beltangady and Mudigere, leading to increased traffic congestion along the ghat. With weekends typically seeing an influx of tourists and devotees, vehicular density rose significantly from Saturday night through Sunday.

On one hand, the persistent rain and, on the other, the foggy early morning conditions have made travel through the region extremely challenging for motorists. Vehicles transporting vegetables and essential supplies, along with regular transport buses, were forced to move slowly due to poor visibility.

In some parts of the Charmadi Ghat, visibility dropped to less than 5 feet, leaving commuters distressed. Foggy conditions were also observed around Charmadi, Banakal, Kottigehara in Mudigere taluk, and the Annappabetta and Beltangady areas.

The Charmadi road, flanked by steep hills on one side and deep valleys on the other, poses additional risks, especially since elephants are occasionally seen crossing the road. Hence, motorists are urged to exercise extreme caution while navigating these stretches.

Thick fog was also reported in the Sampaje Ghat, which connects to Madikeri. Since Saturday night, continuous rainfall has worsened conditions, causing intermittent heavy fog that severely hampered visibility. As a result, motorists had no option but to drive slowly. At the curves, vehicles moved at a snail’s pace, causing traffic jams.

Being a Sunday, the number of tourist vehicles was also notably high. Though fog is not common in the Bisile Ghat, unusual dense fog was reported on Sunday, disrupting the normal flow of traffic.

In contrast, Shiradi Ghat remained in its usual state with no fog and only mild rainfall. Traffic moved smoothly without disruptions.

Precautionary Guidelines for Motorists: Motorists are advised to take necessary precautions while navigating through the fog-covered ghats. It is essential to keep headlights on at all times during foggy conditions. Drivers should refrain from stopping their vehicles to admire the scenic beauty of the ghats, regardless of how attractive it may seem. Overtaking other vehicles on the ghat sections is strongly discouraged. In cases where stopping is absolutely unavoidable, drivers must exercise extreme caution—using fog lights and placing warning cones or other indicators at a safe distance to alert approaching vehicles.