Heavy vehicles headed towards industrial areas move on main carriageway in opposite direction ignoring service roads

Mysore/Mysuru: Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) are recklessly manoeuvring along the Outer-Ring Road (ORR) within the city, sparking concerns among fellow road users. This behaviour necessitates heightened caution, particularly when navigating the U-turn curves.

The Outer Ring Road witnesses the daily passage of thousands of vehicles, including HMVs carrying various goods to industrial zones at Hebbal, Metagalli and Koorgalli, relying heavily on these routes. Regrettably, these HMVs are disregarding proper road etiquette and safety protocols, endangering the lives of innocent road users.

Contrary to the designated protocol of utilising the Service Road after executing a U-turn on the Outer Ring Road, HMVs are persistently travelling on the main carriageway in the opposite direction. Numerous instances have arisen where motorcyclists, motorists and cyclists have been caught off-guard, resulting in accidents.

For instance, despite the presence of barricades near Nada Prabhu Kempegowda Circle (Manipal Hospital Junction) on the Outer Ring Road, which links the Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway, these barricades are consistently displaced to accommodate U-turns that lead to another turn near Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET), Mysuru.

By rule, vehicles bound for industrial areas from the Outer Ring Road should execute a U-turn at the intersection of Lok Nayaka Nagar and Jayadeva Nagar (close to Sai Exports).

In addition, most U-turns lack proper design, displaying irregular spacing between service roads, main roads and U-turn points. This inadequacy is frequently cited as a contributing factor to the occurrence of accidents. Furthermore, the sluggish progress of laying gas pipeline on service roads has exacerbated the issue. Road degradation and the installation-related barricades compel vehicles to utilise the main road.

Unfortunately, even other vehicle types, including motorcycles and cars, are mimicking the HMVs by travelling in the opposite direction on the main road, in violation of regulations. If the relevant authorities fail to implement effective measures, traffic-related issues will exacerbate, especially during peak hours when commuters are rushing to and from work.

Consequently, the Outer Ring Road risks at becoming another accident-prone area, a source of concern for the public. S. Jahnavi, DCP (Crime and Traffic) said that the Police will promptly identify areas along the Outer Ring Road where traffic violations are rampant and take appropriate action.