Driving on this orphaned stretch is a nightmare for motorists

Mysuru: In spite of the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) handing over the complete maintenance of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the problems on the road seem to persist.

The 42.1 km ORR was constructed to prevent heavy traffic of lorries and trucks from entering the city. But most of the street lights on the long stretch are not functioning, which is causing a lot of problems to the road users.

The officials themselves accept the fact that it is more than six months since the T-type street lamp posts that have been installed all along the stretch have stopped functioning. The MUDA built the ORR, which no doubt prevented the heavy vehicles like lorries, trucks and buses coming from Madikeri, H.D. Kote, Nanjangud, T. Narasipur, Bannur, Mahadevapura, Bengaluru and KRS, entering Mysuru city, thus easing the pressure on traffic.

However, the weeds and wild growth on the service roads, the broken drainage slabs lying in many places, the non-functional street lights and the potholes on the road ,have all caused problems for the vehicles to move on these roads.

Besides, the dumping of construction waste materials from the buildings on the nearby layouts by the side of the Service Roads has resulted in the blocking of some these roads. Hence, the local motorists are forced to use the Ring Road.

MUDA which was maintaining the Ring Road and the street lights, has handed over the maintenance to NHAI last year. Even though the handing over was done in the presence of MP Pratap Simha, the problem of maintenance that has come to a standstill, persists.

As the street lights have stopped functioning on the 42.1 km stretch, the whole area is plunged into darkness. As a result, the number of accidents is also increasing. Also, the wine stores that have come up on the service roads all along the stretch are leading to booze parties.

The darkness on the ORR has led to the stretch becoming a haven for dacoities, robberies, abductions and amoral activities. Hence, it has become very difficult to traverse on ORR.

Even though the Highway Patrol cars and Garuda personnel keep doing the rounds, driving on this road in the middle of the night or early in the morning has become frightening. Most of the crimes occurring in Mysuru city are being reported on Ring Road.

If the MUDA has washed its hands off giving the excuse that it has handed over the maintenance to National Highway Authority of India, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) brushes it away ascertaining that it does not come under its limits.

The NHAI though is responsible for the maintenance, claims that maintaining the ‘Street Lights’ is not in its jurisdiction and it has no funds for that. In short, the citizens of Mysuru are put to untold hardship driving or riding on this orphaned Ring Road.

There is a provision to spend Rs.1,000 per km to lay the Service Road next to Ring Road by removing weeds and wild growth. However, there is no fund to pay for the street light bill or for its repairs. Nearly Rs. 3 crore per year is required to pay the electricity bill and for the maintenance of the street lights. We have sent the proposal for special permission and grant to the National Highway Authority of India in Delhi. We have not received a reply from them. Only after we receive a reply we can take action. – Hemalatha, Executive Engineer, NHAI, Mysuru Division