Mysuru: Annual monsoons can be exciting and dangerous. Extending from mid-June through the end of September, monsoon season brings with it torrential rain, violent thunderstorms, and high winds that put trees and property at risk. Dead or damaged branches are more likely to snap when under pressure from high winds and diseased or decayed wood are more vulnerable to breakage.

Every year before the monsoon sets in, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) scrambles to cut dead trees and prune branches that dangerously protrude on the roads and touch power and cable lines. Special teams are formed and spread out to each area in city to prune dead and dangerous branches.

Now with the arrival of ‘Shaktiman,’ the task of pruning trees is made easy and the good thing is that only one person is needed to operate it and the MCC can allocate tree-cutting manpower for other urgent and impending tasks. Shaktiman is a multi-purpose machine that can prune trees and branches and MCC will be the first civic body in Karnataka to have this machine.

It is a self-propelled Tree-maintenance Platform and is one-person operated and the operator can stand inside a specially made platform, manning the controls. Once on the platform, the operator cuts the branches with a mechanised saw with ease and there is no risk involved unlike in manual operations. Even branches of tallest trees (over 30 feet) in city can be easily pruned.

The machine does not pose a risk even in crowded places. The machine can swivel 360 degrees and has a smooth operating procedure. Its long-reach chain saw cutter is specially designed for pruning of tree branches. It’s a rugged machine and works on low maintenance as it does not have the clutch, gearbox etc. and has minimum wear and tear items.

The machine has been manufactured at Rajkot in Gujarat and it costs Rs.21,11,000. The MCC had called for a tender and Chandrashekar of Chamundeshwari Traders had bid for Rs.20,61,000 and the tender was awarded to him, said MCC officials. Chandrashekar got the machine in a knocked down condition and assembled it in Mysuru and has parked the machine at Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW) premises.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, MCC Commissioner K.H. Jagadeesha said, “This is the first such machine procured by any Corporation in Karnataka and this will be useful in pruning trees, branches, dry twigs and leaves.

It can be used for other purposes like lifting a person to a height of 30 feet from the ground level. Apart from this, it can be used for cleaning bus shelters and in the rainy season to clear                                            water-logged rooftops.”

The company from which the machine has been procured has assisted in assembling the machine that was brought in knocked down condition and has also deputed two operators to train the MCC staff in handling the machine. The “centre of gravity” of this machine is balanced from designing stage itself.

The machine has three wheels and does not have a steering or a handle. There are separate buttons which are used to drive straight, take a turn to left or right and even reverse.

The machine can also be used to climb up buildings during an emergency. These multi-purpose machines are used in Delhi and Chennai, said Assistant Executive Engineer Sadashiva K. Chatni.