Mysuru: Opposing the illogical decision of the District Minister to initiate the Rs. 12 crore project to widen and straighten the curve on Hunsur Road near Jaladarshini Guest House, the members of the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) staged a protest near Kalamandira junction, here last evening.

The activists, holding placards, shouted slogans like “Cut speed, not trees; Road widening unnecessary; Potholes in Mysuru kill more people than on ½ km on Mysuru-Hunsur Road near Jaladarshini; Utilise the funds to build footpaths, repair roads, fill potholes and save lives.”

In a memorandum to Chief Minister Siddharamaiah and PWD Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, the President of MGP S.D. Saokar, has said,  “The project is stated to be meant to prevent accidents on this road stretch. We argue that if the stretch of road is widened and straightened, it will only facilitate increase in the speed of vehicles, and it is well known that the primary cause of road accidents is speed, not negotiating curves. When the prescribed speed limit within city limits is 40-kmph and there are automatic traffic signal lights at Hunsur Road-Valmiki Road junction and also at Kalamandira, widening and straightening the road segment between these two traffic signals to cater for road speed of 65-kmph appears not only unnecessary but also unwise from traffic safety considerations.”

Further, the National Urban Transportation Policy (NUTP) directs that movement of people must be facilitated rather than movement of vehicles. If we are to respect NUTP, Rs.12crore will be better spent on this road stretch in constructing usable pedestrian footpaths and in effective roadside (longitudinal) drains which will preserve the road surface against damage due to rainwater flowing or stagnating on the road carriageway, the memorandum stated.

The protesters demanded the Government to stop this project as it would include felling of about 20 mature shade-giving roadside trees within the compounds of DC’s residence, Regional Commissioner’s Office and Jaladarshini Guest House.

Speaking to SOM this morning one of the MGP members, Maj. Gen. S.G. Vombatkere (retd.) said that they presented the hard copy of the memorandum to the DC yesterday through whom it will be sent to the CM and  also e-mailed the letter to the CM.

MGP President S.D. Saokar, members Ashvini Ranjan,  Sobhana, Maj. Gen. S.G. Vombatkere (retd.), Asha Vombatkere, Srimathi Hariprasad, Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, P.M. Bhat, Mohammad Alimulla,  Environment Conservation Committee President Bhanu  Mohan, Save Kukkarahalli group members and others took part in the protest.

It may be recalled that the work, which was to start from yesterday, has been postponed due to non-availability of the chief guests for the foundation stone laying function.

Placards shown at CM

While MGP members were protesting near Kalamandira junction, the CM and his entourage passed through in the car on that road. Seeing the CM’s car, the protesters showed the placards with slogans to the CM.