136 Footbridges Built Across Streams in Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada
A total of 136 footbridges have been constructed across small streams in Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada districts to ensure that schoolchildren and residents living in remote areas of the Malnad region can cross swollen streams safely during the rainy season.
Residents rely on these footbridges to travel on foot from their homes to nearby schools and towns. However, local representatives and residents have noted that many more bridges are required, as dry ditches and gullies transform into fast-flowing streams during monsoon rains, creating hazardous conditions for commuters.
In Uttara Kannada district, 87 footbridges have been constructed so far, and work on 49 additional bridges is currently underway. Public Works Department sources indicated that over 180 more footbridges are required across the district. Sirsi MLA Bhemanna T Naik said that a proposal has been submitted to the state government seeking 100 more footbridges for his constituency.
In Shivamogga district, 39 footbridges have been built, and construction work on four more is in progress. The Shivamogga district administration has also sought additional funding to build three more structures. Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner Prabhulinga Kavalikatti said the 39 footbridges were constructed using mitigation funds over the last three years across Thirthahalli, Sagar, and Hosanagar taluks. He added that if there is demand for more bridges, a proposal will be submitted to the government.
Thirthahalli MLA Araga Jnanendra said the safety issues faced by Malnad residents became a prominent state-level matter in 2018, when a 14-year-old schoolgirl named Ashika was swept away in a swollen stream in Thirthahalli taluk while crossing it with her mother. Following the incident, then Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy issued an order directing officials to build footbridges in the region and earmarked Rs 100 crore for the work.
Jnanendra noted that each footbridge costs around Rs 15 lakh to build. While work on more than 40 percent of the required footbridges has been completed, he urged the government to release adequate funds so that residents are not forced to risk their lives crossing rising streams.
