Road safety at stake on NH 766, locals complain

V Sriprasad, former president of Kolagaala Meenugaarara Sahakara Sangha, HD Kote taluk, said toll is collected on NH 766 at two places within a distance of just 35 km

The car-bus accident on Monday (May 29) that claimed 10 lives near Kurubur on T Narsipur-Kollegal Road, a part of National Highway (NH) 766, gives rise to many questions regarding the safety of commuters.

V Sriprasad, former president of Kolagaala Meenugaarara Sahakara Sangha, HD Kote taluk, said, "we have been complaining about the NH 766, which illegally collects toll at two places within a distance of just 35 km, without providing any facilities, since a long time."

“The infrastructure of NH 766, which also connects to NH 948, is inadequate. Its width is not sufficient even for a bus and a car, at a time. Forget road dividers. Besides, the curves are unscientific. However, NH 766 does not have any 'service road' and the toll is mandatory on all road users,” Sriprasad said.

S V Manjunath, member of Sosale Grama Panchayat, has also voiced his issues regarding the highway.

Read | Karnataka: 10 killed in road mishap on Mysuru-Kollegal highway

“Neither its quality nor its quantity is adequate. NH 766 is intended to connect Kozhikode in Kerala with Kollegal in Karnataka via Mysuru. Mysuru-Nanjangud-Chamarajanagar road is also a part of NH 766. Toll is collected at Yedathore on T Narsipur side and also at KN Hundi on Nanjangud side, separated by just 35 km,” he said.

K Basavaraju, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) dealer, Sosale village, said, “Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had pointed out that the minimum distance between two toll plazas must be 60 km, as per NH Fee Rules, 2008. Following repeated protests across India, the Centre had ordered the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to shift toll plazas located within 60 km of one another in December 2018 itself”.

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha Raitha Parva president Arun Kumar said that the dangers of the highway became evident with the Monday accident that occurred near Pinjrapole on T Narsipur-Kollegal road.

“There are dangerous curves near Kurubur, Dammaiahna Bore of Alagudu, near Madralli and near Mugur Junction. Mishaps happen frequently in these curves, but most of them are not reported, as people move on, instead of getting entangled in the legal process, by lodging a police complaint,” he said.

Raitha Parva vice-president Y L Naveen Kumar said, “Even the road surface is not even. It has worn out at many places, causing more risk. Wild growth of weeds, along the road, is not cleared, resulting in poor vision of vehicles or persons coming from the opposite direction, at curves. Sometimes, parked vehicles also cause poor visibility. There are no parking bays along the road”.

Sriprasad said, over the years traffic density has increased, as thousands of vehicles from both Tamil Nadu and Kerala ply on NH 766.

“However, its width has remained the same since decades. There is no lane for two-wheelers. Besides, there are no proper sign boards, to guide the drivers, about speed-breakers, curves, diversions, etc,” he added.