Mysuru: The tradition of threshing paddy, horse gram and ragi crops on roads to separate the crop from the sheaves has caused much inconvenience to drivers (at times accidents) on roads and highways.

Last evening, a couple of cars and SUVs were involved in a series of accidents occurring at Shiramalli near Yelamathur Gate (Handpost-N.Begur Road) on the H.D. Kote Road as they crashed into one another when the drivers lost control over their vehicles.

As the vehicles passed the roads laid with crops, they skidded and due to dust they could not see the vehicles that were moving ahead, resulting in accidents.

Traffic on the H.D. Kote Road was heavy last evening as tourists were returning from Kabini Dam and other surrounding areas. And enraged after seeing their damaged cars, vehicle owners set the sheaves on fire. A few farmers, who were separating the grain from the sheaves, ran away after noticing the fire.

A complaint has been filed at the H.D. Kote Police Station in this regard by Praveen and Karthik, residents of Dattagalli in Mysuru as their two cars were damaged, along with other vehicles.

As the harvesting season reaches its peak in the month of December and January, farmers use nearby roads to thrash harvested crop in order to obtain the grains. Roads including T. Narasipura Road, Bannur Road, Suttur Road, M.C. Hundi, Meghalapura Road, Mellahalli, Varakodu, Thanthigulli, Badagalahundi and surrounding areas are used by farmers for this purpose.

Farmers spread straws on roads, forcing vehicles to flatten them. In some places, farmers heap straws on the roadside, too, forcing drivers to inch their vehicles forward. Very often, straw gets entangled with the wheels of the vehicles, sometimes causing them to slip off the road. Motorcyclists face this danger most of the times.

Recently, a four-wheeler caught fire on the T.Narasipura Road as it was moving on the horse gram crop that generates great heat when it comes in contact with fast-rotating tyres. The vehicle was completely destroyed in the fire and its four occupants had a miraculous escape.

Several KSRTC bus drivers have also complained to the authorities that they face great difficulties in driving on crop-laden roads. “Most of the buses are now low-floor ones and controlling them on a slippery road is a difficult task as we have to reach the destinations on time,” said a driver.