Union minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates Sigandur bridge in Karnataka. Know all about it

This bridge is expected to significantly reduce the distance from Sagara to the villages around Sigandur, a place which is known for the Chowdeshwari temple

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday inaugurated India's second-longest cable-stayed Sigandur bridge on July 14 in Karnataka’s Shivamogga .

According to officials, the bridge constructed across Sharavathi backwaters between Ambaragodlu-Kalasavalli in Sagara taluk of this district has been built at a cost of Rs 472 crore.

This bridge is expected to significantly reduce the distance from Sagara to the villages around Sigandur, a place which is known for the Chowdeshwari temple.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the bridge and the approach roads have been constructed at a cost of over ₹473 crore.

The 2.2 kilometers long bridge is built over the Sharavathi backwaters and boosts connectivity to Sigandur Temple and the surrounding villages.

According to a report in The Hindu, The bridge has been a long-time aspiration of people in villages of Karuru and Barangi hoblis in Sagar taluk. To symbolize its significance, the villagers decorated the bridge with mango leaves.

The residents needed the bridge to cross the backwaters. As they had lost road connectivity following the construction of Linganmakki dam to generate power in the 1960s, they have been demanding the bridge.

They previously used coracles, however, following an accident in which 21 persons, including newly-wed couples, died after a boat capsized in the backwaters, the authorities had to provide the ferries. Following that, residents had been using the ferries operated by the Department of Ports and Inland Water Transport for over 45 years.

The ferries carrying people and vehicles operate only during the daytime and there was no alternative to ferry them to the taluk centre during emergency at night. The other route takes long hours to reach the destination.

Demanding a bridge so that they can commute easily all through the day, the elected representatives as well as residents staged protests and took out padayatra to put pressure on the government to take up the construction of the bridge

The bridge’s demand also became stronger in the recent past as the number of people visiting Chowdeshwari temple at Sigandur increased, particularly on the weekends and holidays.

According to the report, leaders of all political parties played their part in bringing a project to resolve the issue but it got materialised only in 2018, when Union minister Gadkari laid a foundation stone for the construction of the bridge.

The bridge comes as a boon for devotees as the travel time will come down significantly, the report says.

It is estimated that the bridge will reduce travel by more than 30 kilometers.

Gadkari, accompanied by Union Minister of Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi, former CM BS Yediyurappa, former minister Kagodu Thimmappa, Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra and other elected representatives, at the inauguration.