Mysore/Mysuru: A branch of Gulmohar tree fell near the junction of Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE) on Mysuru- Hunsur Road, bringing the busy traffic to a screeching halt in the city last evening.

The branch of a fully grown tree on the footpath fell due to heavy wind at around 5.15 pm. The vehicle riders had a providential escape, so also the students waiting for bus at a bus stop nearby, with fortunately no casualties reported in the incident.

It is a busy road with heavy vehicle density. The students from Hootagalli, Yelwal, Bilikere, Hunsur, K.R. Nagar and other places will be standing near the bus stop waiting for the buses. Though the incident occurred during the students presence, they escaped unscathed.

As the branch fell in the middle of the road, the traffic was disrupted for sometime, with the vehicles stranded for a while. The Home Guard stationed nearby rushed to the spot and informed the Police. The Home Guard also made a bid to remove the branch on his own, but it went in vain. He got a help in youths passing by and the students near the bus stop who all succeeded in clearing the branch from the road facilitating smooth traffic flow.

With the monsoon turning weak, the wind speed is high, which sometimes proves difficult even to ride two-wheelers. The plume of dust that rises during such conditions, makes it further difficult to navigate the vehicles. It is better to avoid standing near the trees, especially Gulmohar trees which cannot withstand heavy wind, with its branches falling at times. The authorities should wake up by acting at the earliest, before any tragedy strikes. The weak branches of the trees should be axed, after taking up the inspection of road side trees in the city.