Kollegal-Hanur SH becoming a death trap

Mysuru: The Kollegal-Hanur state highway, a 23km stretch connecting MM Hills to Kollegal, has become a notorious death trap.
Despite the recent widening of State Highway 79, the road remains inadequate and dangerous. In the past three months alone, seven people have died and numerous others have been injured on this treacherous stretch.
The victims include a pregnant woman near Kamagere Holy Cross junction, a banana trader near Singanallur, three persons near Hulusugadde, and one person near Vivekananda School in Hanur town, according to the police.
The highway leads to the Male Mahadeshwara Temple, one of the highest revenue-generating Muzrai temples in the state, making it a matter of grave concern for authorities and the public alike.
Highway connects to TN
As this state highway also connects to Tamil Nadu, daily thousands of devotees, buses, two-wheelers, tourist vehicles, and other routine road users pass through the stretch.
The stretch from Hanur to Hulusugadde has become a black spot due to the increasing number of accidents in the past few months.
As the road was badly damaged, Karnataka Road Development Corporation had widened and developed a 23km stretch from Hanur to Kollegal by spending Rs 109 crore following public outcry.
Several motorists and road users were also injured on the stretch.
Police attributed speeding, driving on the wrong side, driving under the influence of alcohol, and violation of traffic guidelines as some of the major reasons for the rise in accidents on the stretch after the development of the highway.
A resident of Kannur village of Hanur taluk, Mantelinga Swamy, demanded that the district administration take measures to stop the accidents on the stretch. He also appealed to the police and regional transport authority to put up warning signboards along the stretch to control speed.
Kollegal sub-division deputy superintendent of police Dharmendra told TOI that he has informed higher authorities about the rise in accidents on the stretch in the last three months after the development of the stretch from Hanur to Kollegal. His senior officials also verified the stretch, identified the black spots, and will soon initiate measures to prevent accidents on the highway.