Wooden bridge at Sullia scares all!

Ganesh Mavanji

Mangaluru: A video footage in which person is seen trying to cross a river using a wooden hanging bridge, has gone viral and sheds light on the plight of people who are using it on a daily basis.

This is not a video of a bridge in a remote village of an underdeveloped country. The bridge is located at Sullia taluk and falls in the constituency of Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister S Angara.

Aramanegaya is part of Aranthodu village in Sullia, which is around 100 kilometers away from Mangaluru and the wooden hanging bridge here connects two villages, Aranthodu and Markanja. Though there is a huge demand for a full fledged bridge across the Balnadu river, the plea has fallen on deaf ears so far.

Over 12 families belonging to Scheduled Tribes (ST) are living at Aramanegaya who are using this wooden hanging bridge on a daily basis. As it was built around 15 years ago, the ropes of the bridge are in a dilapidated condition and there is an urgent need to construct a new bridge here, says residents of the area.

Though there is an alternative road connecting Aramanegaya with Aranthodu and Markanja villages, people have to travel a long distance of around seven kilometres. During the rainy season, locals especially school and college going students have to face very tough time while passing via this bridge.

Lokesk Aramanegaya, a local resident told News Trail that repeated memorandums were submitted to the officials and elected representatives but there has been no positive result so far. “ There is a plan to organise a huge protest to alert the officials and realise our dream, “ he added.

Keshava Adthale, a member of Aranthodu Gram Panchayat informed that constructing a bridge at Aramanegaya is the need of the hour. “ As minister S Angara has promised to earmark sufficient funds to construct a new bridge here, we hope the decade long demand will be fulfilled soon,” he added.