Mysuru: Very soon, the six-lane 42-km-long desolate Outer Ring Road (National Highway 275-K) will sport a green and beautiful look with median strips at the centre. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken up the asphalting of the road and after asphalting, the entire stretch would be beautified so that travelling on this stretch is a pleasure. 

Added to these projects, there is another project to replace all the underground rodent-eaten wires along the Ring Road so that all the 4,270 bulbs along the road can glow on the present dark stretch. With asphalting, green medians and glowing streetlights, the Ring Road will get a complete makeover. 

Following suggestions from Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, the Namma Mysuru Foundation (NMF) has prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and the same was submitted to the MP at his Office here yesterday by NMF Head Dasharath. The NMF has the expertise in designing and also implementing such projects.  

As per the DPR, the Ring Road medians would be beautified using Macro M60 High Tech Machine for cleaning, collection and disposal of waste and debris along the stretch. Drip irrigation water system will be provided with one borewell sunk at every five kilometres and planting of three trees on every 100-metre interval with five plants in the centre at 100-metre interval. 

Sensor-based technology 

Different kinds of shrubs would be planted in three rows continuously and these would be maintained throughout the year, including excavation, filling red earth, providing natural manure and also pesticide spraying from time to time. Along with the greenery, electric lamps of different hues can be fixed along the road and a sensor-based technology can be adopted to switch on and switch off the lights. 

Shrubs would be planted as per standards and the kerbs and the existing electric poles would be painted with enamel paint and maintained to retain the beauty. The top covering of drains by the side of the Ring Road will also sport paintings that gel well with the medians. 

The saplings along the road would sieve the glare from headlights of vehicles coming from the opposite direction and also would absorb the suspended particles from smoke emitted by vehicles. 

Attractive flag posts

Also, the road stretch would be cleared to make it dust-free. Pots containing ornamental plants can be placed on top of the drain cover. These plants too would be maintained all year round by NMF. Apart from greening the road, flag posts would be erected along the Road intervals and flags that belong to State and Centre, Reserve Bank of India and other premier institutions can be displayed. Flag posts at a 50-metre interval would enhance the beauty of the road, said the DPR. 

Major circles and junctions along the Ring Road like the Columbia Asia Hospital                                              Junction, Royal Inn Junction, Bharat Cancer Hospital Junction, Hinkal Flyover Junction, Bogadi Road Junction, Nanjangud Highway Junction, T. Narasipur Road Junction, Mahadevapura Road and Bannur Road Junctions will also be beautified and maintained. 

Attend to medical emergencies

The most crucial aspect of Ring Road beautification and maintenance is to provide assistance in case of medical emergencies and accidents. An ambulance would be provided for this purpose and staff would be appointed to work in shifts 24X7 along with a communication network to provide emergency transport facilities, the DPR stated. 

Security guards would be appointed to catch those who discard waste along the Ring Road as waste dumping including construction and demolition waste and animal waste is rampant on a day to day basis. 

The Namma Mysuru Foundation has proposed to carry out all the works including greening, maintenance, providing security and ensuring zero waste dumping at a cost of Rs. 5 crore. Funds can be obtained from IT companies, industries and mega firms including J.K. Tyre, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and TVS Group under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, the DPR mentions.

By S.T. Ravikumar