Kushalnagar:
The much-anticipated dream of the villagers to get a hanging bridge for Cauvery river near Kanive Sri Ramalingeshwara Temple in the north Kodagu region, has at last come true.
A hanging bridge for Cauvery river has been built by Malenadu Area Development Authority at a cost of Rs.42 lakh by using modern technology. The attractive bridge, constructed under the guidance of hanging bridge expert from Sullia, Girish Bharadwaj, is now ready for inauguration. It is the nearest bridge connecting Kodagu and its neighbour Mysore district. This bridge lessens the distance between various border villages including Dodda Kamarahalli, Shyanubhoganahalli, Dindigaadu, Muttina Mullusoge, Kanagalu, Hanumanthapura, Karadilakkana Kere of Periyapatna taluk in Mysore district and Kodagu valley, Bhuvanagiri, Huluse, Hakke, Koodige, Marooru, Hebbale and other villages of Kodagu district.
Girish Bharadwaj, who has built the bridge with the help of 20 labourers in two months, says the help and trust of the villagers of the valley has been memorable. Two concrete pillars of two metre width and 33 feet height on two sides of the river are balancing the 83.5-metre- long hanging bridge with the help of iron ropes. Galvansied iron cables are fitted to the sides of the bridge for safety, Girish said.
The hanging bridge is a result of the special interest shown by MLA Appachu Ranjan, who heeded to the requests of the villagers for a bridge. Until now, the villagers including students crossed the river on the dangerous canal bridge built for lift irrigation to reach Kodagu for their daily business and schools and colleges. Many women commuted to Kudloor everyday for coffee curing works and it was difficult for them to return home at dark after 7 pm on the dangerous old bridge. The new hanging bridge has facilitated the villagers from both sides of the river to carry out their daily activities without much hassle, said Sri Ramalingeshwara Temple Committee President E.S. Ganesh, expres-sing his happiness that both the temple and tourism will improve due to the hanging bridge.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / by Raghu Hebbale / August 22nd, 2011
