Kolalagiri-Aroor connectivity still a distant dream!

DHNS

Brahmavar, 05  June 2011: A bridge to provide connectivity to Kunjal-Aroor-Kolalagiri through Aroor across Madisalu hole, which was supposed to be constructed 30 years ago is still a dream to the villagers.

 

 

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. Though the government approved the work on the bridge 30 years ago and released Rs 15 lakh, the work remained incomplete. After completing the work on two pillars and Aroor-Belmar road, the work on the proposed bridge was stopped all of a sudden and never commenced till date. The villagers have been urging the elected representatives to construct the bridge every year.

 

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 three years ago. The bridge was used by the motorists to travel to Udupi, Manipal and Perdur.

 

Though the authorities had released Rs 18 lakh to repair the foot bridge which had collapsed three years ago, the work is yet to commence.

 

A 3.5 km road which connects Kunjalu Aroor-Kolalagiri has been laid. A four km road which connects Kolalagiri -Belmar-Uggelbettu has been laid at the cost of Rs 2 crore under Pradhan Mantri Grama Sadak Yojane. However, the villagers are not in a position to utilise the road owing to the non availability of the bridge.

 

Kunjalu GP member Nalini Pradeep Rao says “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, now with its collapse, the people are in hardship.”