Nitin Gadkari inaugurates India's second longest cable-styled bridge in Karnataka's Shivamogga

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated India's second-longest cable-stayed Sigandur bridge in Karnataka's Shivamogga district on Monday. The bridge across the Sharavathi backwaters between Ambaragodlu-Kalasavalli in Sagara taluk has been built at a cost of Rs 472 crore, PTI reported quoting officials.

The bridge is aimed at reducing the distance from Sagara town to the villages around Sigandur, a place which is known for the Chowdeshwari temple.

The bridge has been constructed after the demand from local residents. They had lost road connectivity after the construction of the Linganmakki dam to generate power in the 1960s.

People used to cross the river with coracles. However, in a tragic incident, 21 people died after a boat capsized in the backwaters. The incident prompted the residents to make their demand heard. Officials had introduced ferries operated by the Department of Ports and Inland Water Transport.

In recent decades, the demand for a bridge grew louder as the number of people visiting Chowdeshwari temple at Sigandur increased.

Along with Gadkari, the event was attended by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa

However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah or any of his ministers did not attend the event.

Siddaramaiah had urged Gadkari to postpone the inauguration of the bridge and foundation stone laying ceremony of infrastructure projects at Sagara taluk in Shivamogga today, stating that he was not informed in advance.

The CM had cited his visit Indi taluk in Vijayapura district, saying it would have been more appropriate for ministry to have consulted with the state government before scheduling such a programme.