Mysore/Mysuru: Red and yellow plastic interlocking barricades have replaced the metal barricades around Hardinge Circle (Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle).

The barricades were erected to regulate the fast-moving traffic that converges on this Circle from six sides.          

This Circle is one of the busiest Circles of Mysuru near the Palace. Locals prefer to call it R-Gate (Aaru Gate) because six (aaru in Kannada) gates converge on the Circle leading to the six main roads of Mysuru city — Albert Victor Road, Bengaluru-Nilgiri Road (twin roads), Nilgiri Road, Mirza Road, and Lokaranjan Mahal Road.

These plastic barricades are hollow and to prevent them from falling off due to wind, M-Sand has been filled into the hollow portion of these barricades which are less in height and thicker than the metal barricades which were installed earlier.

As these barricades are in bright red and yellow colours, they are clearly visible to the motorists from a distance unlike the earlier metal barricades which were visible only from a short distance.

The installation of barricades around the Circle was the brainchild of the then City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, who had urged Bank of Baroda to provide plastic barricades following which 88 coloured plastic barricades were brought from Hyderabad at an estimated cost of Rs. 5.5 lakh.

If these barricades are effective and will help solve traffic issues, higher officials have planned to install such plastic barricades at other places, said Devaraja Traffic Inspector Muniyappa.