Now, who should be held accountable for three deaths?

Mysore/Mysuru: The heated public discourse surrounding the perceived negligence of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) authorities in installing unscientific speed-breakers near the Main Gate of Manasagangothri, the PG campus of University of Mysore (UoM) on Bogadi Main Road, resulting in the tragic deaths of 3 individuals recently, continues unabated.

Despite the passage of time, no punitive action has been taken against the responsible officials who flouted established regulations in laying these speed humps.

While a Police complaint has been filed against the MCC Engineer and the contractor responsible for installing the speed-breakers violating standard procedures, the affected public and the bereaved families are demanding further accountability and adequate compensation for their irreplaceable losses. It is worth noting that the speed humps in question have since been removed.

It has now come to light that MCC Commissioner Ashaad-Ur-Rahman Shariff ordered the installation of the road humps based on the request from the University of Mysore VC Prof. N.K. Lokanath. The VC’s letter, a copy of which is accessed by Star of Mysore, was written on Dec. 6, urging the MCC Commissioner to install the speed-breakers for safety reasons.

The letter emphasised the necessity of installing road humps along Bogadi Road, particularly near the entrance gate and other access points of the University, due to the significant volume of traffic and the alarming frequency of accidents in that area. Specifically, the letter highlighted the hazardous nature of the curve in front of the University gate, near the Kuvempu statue, which has been the site of numerous accidents.

The letter underscored the importance of installing road humps to ensure the safety of both students and the general public, preventing motorists from speeding as they approach the curve. Upon receiving a request from Prof. Lokanath, the MCC Commissioner forwarded the letter to the MCC Zonal Office-4 for their consideration and necessary action.

The officials’ eagerness to comply with the Commissioner’s directives led them to hastily install the unscientific speed-breakers overnight, neglecting standard procedures in the process. While the installation of speed humps itself wasn’t the issue, the manner in which they were installed and the tragic loss of lives that ensued, have prompted serious concerns regarding official accountability and integrity.

Regrettably, the excessive zeal of the officials, engineers and the contractor resulted in the loss of three innocent lives.

Members of the public assert that had the speed humps been installed according to established standards, these tragic fatalities could have been prevented.