Aroor-Kolalagiri to get connectivity soon

A bridge to provide connectivity to Aroor-Kolalagiri through Aroor across Madisalu Hole has finally commenced. The work on repairing a foot bridge which provides connectivity for Aroor-Belmar  has been taken up four years after of its collapse. 

The new bridge between Aroor-Kolalagiri will be taken up at a cost of Rs three crore. The bridge will be 67.07 metre long and 7.50 metre wide. The contract for the construction of the bridge has been handed over to a constructions company from Kasargod. The contractor has promised to complete the work on the bridge within 12 months (excluding rainy season). The foundation for the bridge was laid in December. The pillars have already been constructed. The work is likely to be completed by May, said the contarctors. 

It was late Mahabala Patel who had dreamt of the bridge before independence. The plan aimed at providing connectivity to K G Road-Udupi-Manipal-Havanje-Perdur and to help the residents of Aroor, Cherkadi, Neelavara, Kokkarne, Petri, Uppoor, Havanje for their daily travel. However, owing to the shortage of funds, the plan remained only on paper.With the bridge, the distance between Manipal and Petri, Karje, Kokkarne, Kunjalu, Cherkadi will be reduced by 10 to 15 kms. The residents of Belmaru who remain in an island during monsoon too will be relieved. 

A foot bridge which was constructed 11 years ago to connect Belmar near Aroor temple collapsed four years ago. The bridge was used by the motorists to travel to Udupi, Manipal and Perdur. Though the government had released Rs 18 lakh under Natural Calamity Relief Fund two years ago, the work could not be taken up owing to technical reason. Now, the repair work on bridge has commenced and the foot bridge is likely to be completed in another one month. The people of Belmar have to go to Aroor for bank, school and post office. A foot bridge which was built few years ago had benefited the people. However, the people were put to hardship after the bridge collapsed. With the completion of both the bridges, the residents will get a direct connectivity to Manipal and Udupi, said a villager.