The proposed ₹12-crore project to widen and straighten the curve on Hunsur Road near Jaladarshini guest house here has drawn opposition with the Mysuru Grahakara Parishat (MGP) and some citizens urging Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to drop the project.
“We have learnt that the work of this project is to be undertaken “on a war footing” by NHAI. We, therefore, request that the work not be started (especially not harm the trees on this road stretch) until the details of the project are made public and discussed in an open forum,” said MGP president S.D. Saokar, in a memorandum to the CM and district in-charge Minister H.C. Mahadevappa. The MGP, in its letters, argued that the project should not be carried out merely to reduce accidents. It pointed out that the definite environmental, ecological, and heritage cost through loss of very old and mature shade-giving roadside trees, “encroaching” the heritage precincts of Jaladarshini Guest House, DC’s residence, and Regional Commissioner’s Office, and destroying the heritage ambience, together far exceed the uncertain gain of accident reduction. Implementing and enforcing prescribed vehicle speed limits will solve the problem of accidents, it argued.
Instead, the MGP has suggested for using the funds for making pedestrian footpaths usable, constructing effective longitudinal drains on both sides of the full length of this 500-m stretch, and conserving the heritage ambience by restoring the compound walls of the heritage properties in consultation with the Mysuru Heritage Development and Conservation Committee.
This is a stretch of about 600-m length of beautiful tree-lined road through a heritage area. The stretch is already four-lane width with a median.
Several MGP members and others had staged a demonstration outside Kalamandira here opposing the project here on Monday.
“We have learnt that the existing four-lane road will be widened by about 6 m on the northern side to reduce the curvature of the road (road straightening) up to the Hunsur Road Junction with Valmiki Road, and beyond,” he said.
It is also informally learned that the road curvature is being designed to cater for vehicles moving at 65 kmph speed. “Thus, the project will include clear felling of about 20 mature shade-giving roadside trees besides trees within the compounds of the two properties,” Mr Saokar maintained.
The project is stated to be meant to prevent accidents on this road stretch. But the MGP has argued that if the stretch of road is widened and straightened, it will only facilitate increase in the speed of vehicles, resulting in accidents.
