Residents flag hazards along State Highways stretch between Ooty bus stand and Fern Hill

Local residents in Udhagamandalam complain about hazardous State Highway stretch, urging repairs and more street lights for safety.

A stretch of the State Highways located in Udhagamandalam town connecting the Ooty Bus Stand with the Fern Hill Junction poses a number of hazards to motorists, complain local residents.

The stretch is used by both local residents as well as tourists proceeding towards a number of tourism spots in the district, including the Karnataka Siri Horticulture Garden, Avalanche Lake and Emerald Dam. The stretch is also used by people proceeding towards Manjoor, Ithalar and surrounding locations.

Two severe monsoons in 2023 and 2024 had resulted in the road sustaining damage, and posing a serious risk to motorists, locals complain.

N. Sampath, a resident of Fern Hill in Udhagamandalam, said the road was repaired a couple of years ago, and the interlock bricks were replaced. The State Highways department had installed two massive speed breakers in front of a private school along the stretch, he said. “While the speed breakers themselves were a good idea, they seem to have not been installed correctly, as they have broken apart in places and instead of helping to slow traffic, they pose a serious risk to motorists who may not be aware of them,” he said.

Another serious hazard is the overflowing sewage lines that make the road surface extremely slippery, locals state, adding that the lack of street lights along the stretch increases the risk of accidents to both motorists as well as pedestrians.

“There are also a few sections of the road where there are almost indiscernible dips on the inside road aprons, which have formed over the last few weeks and months. Any motorist, particularly motorcyclists, who approaches the stretch at speed will find it almost impossible to spot them and if they hit it at the wrong angle, will be thrown into oncoming traffic,” said another motorist who uses the stretch regularly.

Local residents have appealed to the State Highways Department to carry out regular repairs along the stretch as they admit that it was prone to damage due to intensive rain that occurs in the area each year. They also called for more street lights to be installed.