Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Apr 1: Sources say that the old bridge at Kulur that has been serving the people since the last 67 years will be closed shortly. The officials are said to be waiting for election process to be completed before it is closed for heavy vehicles.

National Highways Authority of India, which had earlier found that this bridge, which was inaugurated on September 21, 1952, was unfit for movement of heavy vehicles, had written to the deputy commissioner of the district to stop using this bridge. The authority has now sent a reminder to the district administration again in this regard.

Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner, Sasikanth Senthil, says that closure of this bridge will result in increase in the traffic density on the other available bridge. Therefore, the district administration plans to maintain status quo till the process of entrusting contract of a new parallel bridge is completed.

Under instructions from the ministry of surface transport, a Hyderabad-based concern, R V Associates, had checked the condition of the old bridge at Kulur and certified that it was unfit for use by vehicles. A team of experts who were entrusted wth the task of conducting a survey of the proposed circular road under 'Bharatmala' project, had also reported that the said bridge was not fit for use.

The government has already given its nod for the construction of a new bridge between the two previous bridges to replace the old bridge at a cost of Rs 65 crore.

A committee headed by the assistant commissioner here had opined that bullet tankers having more than 16 wheels moving between Udupi and Bengaluru and from Bengaluru towards MRPL can move via Padubidri - Karkala - Guruvayanakere, Dharmasthala, Kokkada and Periashanti. Heavy vehicles coming from Kerala can move to Kavoor via KPT, Bajpe, Kana and Suratkal. Heavy vehicles like trucks and buses having less than 16 wheels can move on the existing new bridge at Kulur. Light vehicles like cars, jeeps, tempos, two-wheelers etc can continue to move on the old bridge both ways.