Mysuru: The work on the installation of magic boxes on the Hunsur Road stretch between Paduvarahalli and Kukkarahalli is nearing completion and the road which was closed for nearly a month will open to the traffic again from Dec.25.

Heavy rains had caused havoc in the area where the rainwater mixed with sewage water had entered most of the houses in 1st and 2nd main in Paduvarahalli last month. It had also caused problems at the Maharani’s College Hostel building and Commerce College building on Valmiki Road. Complaints had poured in of flooding and rainwater entering the houses, when Chief Minister Siddharamaiah had conducted an inspection of the area along with MLA Vasu.

MCC had taken up the Rs.70 lakh work on a war-footing by not even calling for tender, as it was an emergency work. MCC Executive Engineer Nagaraj Murthy told Star of Mysore that only the work on plastering of the retaining wall and asphalting of the stretch remains, which will be completed in another three days.

Since the road was closed, the vehicles coming from Hunsur Road had to take a diversion near St. Joseph’s institution and take a turn near Mathru Mandali Circle, move towards Valmiki Road and take a left near Paduvarahalli junction Petrol bunk to enter Hunsur Road. Similarly, vehicles coming from Metropole Circle side had to take a right turn at Paduvarahalli junction take a left on Valmiki Road to enter Adipampa Road and pass through Temple Road and take a right turn to hit Hunsur Road again.

The blockage of traffic on the small stretch has caused lot of problems and once it is opened, the traffic problems would be eased, said Nagaraj Murthy.

Road widening on Krishnaraja Boulevard

The vehicular traffic on the busy stretch between the entrance arch on Krishanaraja Boulevard up to Kautilya Circle near Crawford Hall is very heavy during morning and evening rush hours.

There was Rs.1.5 crore left in the old Special Dasara Fund and this money is being utilised to widen the stretch of 578 metres. It will be widened by 14 metres with six feet wide footpath on either side.

Free left turn

A traffic jam usually occurs at the arch entrance to Krishnaraja Boulevard and to overcome this problem, a free left turn has been provided from Hunsur Road (Vinoba Road) side to the Boulevard Road and in the opposite direction from Boulevard Road to Hunsur Road, there is a free left.

The work on this road, taken up by contractor Venkatappa, began just before the inauguration of the 83rd Kannada Sahitya Sammelana. 65 percent of the work has been completed and the remaining work will be completed in another month.

MCC Development Officer Govindappa, who is supervising the work, told Star of Mysore that the work was sanctioned nine months ago. “First 23 trees on this stretch had to be removed. We paid the Forest Department Rs.5.80 lakh to cut the trees,” he said.

The Forest Department charged the amount based on the ratio of 1:10 trees (That is 23x10x1911). Since every tree removed has to be replaced by ten trees, the Forest Department charges Rs.1,911 for the removal of each tree, he said.

Once the work is completed, this will also ease the flow of traffic on this busy road.