Mysore/Mysuru: Summer holidays for educational institutions have forced the city Police to relaunch ‘Operation Chamundi’ to check public nuisance on the roads leading to Chamundi Hill including reckless driving, wheeling, zig-zag riding, shrill horns, altered silencers of both two-wheelers and four-wheelers. The target of the ‘Operation’ are College-going youths and also the young population who are out of College and the public. As it is a vacation time for students, they generally ride up atop the Chamundi Hill with their two-wheelers along with friends and indulge in dangerous acts such as wheeling and zig-zag riding.

“We have seen young lives being snuffed out due to reckless driving. Unfortunately, other people die or sustain injuries due to the carelessness of violators,” Siddarthanagar Inspector Nataraj told SOM this morning

‘Operation Chamundi’ was conceptualised and implemented in 2010 by Krishnaraja (K.R.) Traffic Police to curb rash and negligent driving, consuming liquor and creating nuisance, to prevent all illegal activities and crimes from taking place atop the Hill. The public nuisance-curbing action was, however, lying dormant for many years.

Relaunched to rein in violators: The ‘Operation Chamundi’ was relaunched yesterday jointly by K.R. Traffic and Siddarthanagar Traffic Police Stations. While the K.R. Traffic sleuths guarded the Uthanahalli Gate, Siddartha Traffic personnel manned the entries and exits near Thavarekatte Gate. These two are the main entry and exit points of the Hill.

The duration of the Operation Chamundi will be from 6 am to 10 am and from 4 pm to 7 pm. The rest of the time will be managed by the regular beat Police. Yesterday, ACP Poornachandra Tejaswi and Gangadharamurthy, Inspectors Manjunath and Nataraj along with their teams took part in the drive.

Today too, the senior officers were present on the roads to Chamundi Hill and they were seen briefing the staff about the Operation.

“We have seen in the past accidents peaking during summer holidays atop the Chamundi Hill. Also, of late, we have received many complaints of the youths being a nuisance to the public, families and also girls. This month-long operation will be conducted daily till the college season starts,” Nataraj said.

The intention of the drive is to save lives. “Spot fines are levied on violators and if the silencer is altered, such vehicles are asked to change the silencers on-the-spot and if they do not agree, the vehicles are seized. Even the silencers of four-wheelers are checked if they are modified. In a day yesterday, eight cases were booked at Thavarekatte Gate ,” he added.