Fallen trees, debris pose hazards for pedestrians, motorists on many streets

Mysore/Mysuru: Despite three days having passed since gusty winds and heavy rains caused significant damage, the authorities from the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and the Forest Department have yet to address the aftermath.

Fallen trees and branches remain uncleared, and damaged electric poles have yet to be replaced in certain parts of the city, leading to considerable inconvenience for the public.

The effort to clear the debris, which was not initiated on Saturday and Sunday, has unfortunately not been undertaken today either. As a result, fallen trees and branches continue to obstruct roads and sidewalks, posing risks to pedestrians and motorists alike.

Numerous thoroughfares, including the stretch from Dasappa Circle to Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Circle (Metropole Circle), Sita Vilas Road, Rama Vilas Road, Krishna Vilas Road, and Hunsur Road, are still littered with debris. This situation is compelling pedestrians to navigate through busy thoroughfares, jeopardising their safety.

 Friday evening’s heavy rains, coupled with gusty winds, wreaked havoc across the city, toppling numerous trees and electric poles and resulting in snapped power lines.

The affected areas include Sayyaji Rao Road, JLB Road, KRS Road, Temple Road, Hunsur Road, Jaganmohan Palace vicinity, Narayana Shastri Road, Bogadi Road, Chamaraja Double Road, MG Road, Lalitha Mahal Road, Shivaji Road, Vishwamanava Double Road, as well as various locations in Kuvempunagar, Ramakrishnanagar, Gokulam, Brindavan Extension, Yadavagiri, and others.

Only CESC is active

While the Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) officials swiftly initiated efforts to replace damaged poles and restore power, progress in clearing fallen trees and debris by MCC and the Forest Department remains sluggish.

The situation is compounded by the presence of dangling branches posing hazards to motorists and pedestrians, raising concerns of potential injuries or fatalities. With tree branches obstructing many footpaths, pedestrians are compelled to traverse busy roads, further endangering their safety.

Additionally, numerous trees have been uprooted in city parks, causing inconvenience to morning and evening walkers.

Yesterday, no repair works were undertaken, with efforts focused solely on clearing trees and branches obstructing heavily trafficked roads to facilitate smooth traffic flow. However, snapped power lines, telephone cables, and internet cables remain uncleared.

While CESC officials have succeeded in restoring power supply, they are currently engaged in repairing and replacing damaged transformers.

CESC has incurred a significant loss of Rs. 80 lakh due to the adverse weather conditions. A total of 200 electric poles within Mysuru city limits and 409 poles in rural areas were damaged.

CESC has promptly initiated repair works and already replaced damaged poles in certain areas. Anticipating such incidents during monsoon, CESC had proactively stocked new poles and commenced replacement efforts early Saturday morning, continuing their restoration efforts until late evening.

Efforts on to mitigate risk

Branches obstructing main roads, impeding traffic flow, have been promptly cleared and relocated to roadsides. Priority was given to clearing fallen trees and branches from major thoroughfares, ensuring smoother passage for commuters. Currently, efforts are underway to clear branches deposited along roadsides and footpaths. Instructions have been issued to officials of the MCC Horticulture Division to address the hazard posed by dangling branches, with ongoing efforts to mitigate this risk. — Dr. N.N. Madhu, MCC Commissioner