‘Build New Bridge Before Closing Old Kulur Bridge’ say STV Horata Samiti
‘Build New Bridge before Closing Old Kulur Bridge’ say Surathkal Tollgate Virodhi Horata Samiti
Mangaluru : It was decided in October 2018, when National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) found that the old Kulur Bridge was not strong enough for heavy vehicles, that a new bridge would be constructed soon. (Ref : Unsafe 65-Year-Old Kuloor Bridge connecting Panambur to Mangaluru will be Closed Soon ) Even though more than a year has passed there has been no signs of any action taken on the project.And now all a sudden the Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil has issued orders that heavy vehicles, including LPG carrying bullet tankers banned on plying on this old bridge. With this , the very heavy vehicles have to take alternative routes, while the new bridge going from Kulur towards Panambur becomes two-way for others.
While the National Highways Authority of India is constructing a deviation route near Kuloor flyover so that vehicles from Udupi to Mangaluru can take the flyover after crossing the new bridge with a two-way traffic pattern, and that only after the deviation route is ready, the old arch bridge across Phalguni (Gurupura) River on National Highway 66 would be closed for very heavy vehicles, as per the NHAI .The NHAI had been pleading with the district administration to close the old bridge, built in 1952, since it is unsafe. However, light motor vehicles will be allowed on the old bridge.
67-year-old, the ‘Old Kulur Bridge’ will be closed for heavy vehicles soon
Sources reveal that NHAI has proposed to build a new, six-lane bridge between the existing two bridges as a part of the six-laning of the New Mangalore Port Connectivity Road, from B.C. Road to NITK, Surathkal. Very heavy vehicles plying to and from Bengaluru have to take Padubidri, Karkala, Guruvayanakere, Dharmasthala and Periyashanthi route. Those to and from Kerala have to take KPT, Kavoor, Bajpe, Kana and Surathkal route.
It is learnt that DC Senthil has authorized a committee headed by Mangaluru Assistant Commissioner to execute the diversion scheme and given one week’s outer limit to complete the same. Diversion and closure would take place in phases. Meanwhile, NHAI Project Director Z. Samson Vijay Kumar speaking to media said that at present work has started to construct the diversion route in between the temple and flyover at Kuloor to allow vehicles coming from Udupi via the new bridge to take the Kuloor flyover. Once the work is over, closure of the old bridge for very heavy vehicles and making the new bridge two-way for other vehicles would be effected. “The project office is awaiting clearance from headquarters to call tenders for the six-lane bridge, estimated to cost Rs 75 crore. Once the work is warded, the project should be completed in 18 months. NHAI would consider retaining the old bridge for service road after strengthening it” added Kumar.
This Kuloor Bridge connecting Mangaluru to Panambur will become Two-Way, once construction of new bridge starts
Now, the Surathkal Tollgate Virodhi Horata Samiti on Wednesday urged the district administration to close the Kuloor old bridge only after the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) builds the new one. If the bridge is closed without making any viable alternative arrangement, the samiti will launch a mass struggle, said its convener Muneer Katipalla. In a communique here,Katipalla said the administration as well as the NHAI were buying time for the past one year without making any effort to build the new bridge when the Samiti opposed closure of the old bridge.
Katipalla addressing the media said, “The present move to close the bridge for very heavy vehicles too is made without making any preparations to construct the new bridge. The closure and allowing two-way traffic on the new bridge would cause havoc in the region and almost cut-off connectivity between Mangaluru and Surathkal. The sudden reaction from NHAI to close the bridge on a busy tolled highway that connects various commercial hubs on the western coast only shows its inefficiency”.
“The administration, NHAI and Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, are directly responsible for this fiasco, as was being witnessed in the inordinate delay in completing Pumpwell and Thokkottu flyover. People would not accept closure of the old bridge without there being new one. The governments have to act in time-bound manner to build the new bridge and till then the old one should be retained after executing strengthening works” demanded Muneer Katipalla.
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