Mysuru: The concerned citizens of Mysuru and a few NGOs including Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), Kukkarahalli Kere Ulisi Samithi, Let’s do it!, Clean Mysuru Foundation, Swachha Mysuru, Green Mysuru, Mysuru Memes, Wild Mysuru and Samarpana Foundation, are going to form a Human Chain and stage a Silent Protest without obstructing traffic, at 11 am at Kalamandira Main Entrance, on Hunsur Road tomorrow (Oct. 22).
The protest is against the move of the District Administration and PWD to widen and straighten the road that curves near Jaladarshini Guest House on Hunsur Road. The activists say that this project is unnecessary. The tagline of the protest is ‘Cut Speed Not Trees.’
According to MGP member Ashvini Ranjan, there are less expensive options available to save trees and tax-payers’ money. He told Star of Mysore, “I have been driving on this road for over 50 years and never once felt the probability of an accident. Unless of course, one exceeds the prescribed speed limit of 40 kms on the road.”
He said that a properly designed road hump or rumble strips at the beginning of the curve will reduce vehicular speeds considerably.
Rs. 12 lakh enough
A Senior Engineer, who had worked in the PWD, speaking to Star of Mysore on condition of anonymity said, “The project cost of road straightening and widening is pegged at Rs. 12 crore. However, not more than Rs. 12 lakh needs to be spent on this project. All it requires is to apply the super elevation formula. At the curve of Kukkarahalli Lake junction, if the road is elevated then the speed automatically reduces. The black spot or the accident spot will be a thing of the past.”
In fact, the super elevation formula has been adopted on the Ring Roads. “It is criminal that nearly 400 ft x 15 ft area of Kukkarahalli Lake will have to be sacrificed for this project. Also, the compound of the DC’s bungalow, Jaladarshini Guest House and the Regional Commissioner’s Office have all to be pushed inside. Added to this is the loss of trees. It is high time the Government shelves the project immediately instead of going ahead with the project with a vengeance,” said an Engineer and a road expert.
This post was published on October 21, 2017 6:56 pm