Udupi: Villagers Stranded as Hanging Bridge Collapses Due to Rain
 
Ivan Mascarenhas
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
 
Udupi, Aug 11: As rains continue to lash, flooding many regions of Udupi district, one of the biggest hanging bridge built across the Swarna river, which connects the two villages of Uppoor and Heroor, ripped apart Thursday August 9 night owing to heavy downpour.
 
The bridge was built with the help of social organizations and individuals with a view to facilitate social and commercial interaction between the two villages. In 2008, Vishwanath Sanil, owner of Zenith Industries Bangalore, had contributed to this welfare.

The bridge was also considered the second longest river hanging bridge in Karnataka built at the cost of Rs 18 lac.
 
Now with the collapse of the bridge, the locals are finding it difficult to cross over to the other village. This has raised a big question in the minds of the villagers, as to who would take the responsibility of reconstructing the bridge - whether the former constructors or the government.
 

Raghupati Bhat assures funds

Visiting the spot by boat, Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat assured that money will be sanctioned from the natural calamity relief fund to reconstruct the bridge. "I have spoken to the DC on rebuilding of the bridge," he said, and added that a maximum sum of Rs 10 lacs will be funded.

Kundapur Assistant commissioner B Sadashiv Prabhu also expressed his support to rebuild the hanging bridge.

Chanthur gram panchayat president Jayanthi Ganiga, members Dinkar Heroor, Vasudev Kamath also visited the spot.