On June 28, Mangaluru residents faced difficulties due to the delayed inauguration of a small bridge at Ulaibettu, which is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore. The bridge spans a stream of the Phalguni River within Ulaibettu Gram Panchayat limits. Passengers and motorists traveling to Mangaluru via Ulaibettu-Permanki or towards B.C. Road via Mallur-Benjanapadavu are affected. After the old bridge was demolished, a temporary mud road was constructed through Ulaibettu’s paddy fields, but it has become unusable due to rain. Several vehicles, including a police car, have gotten stuck in the mud. The small bridge is expected to be inaugurated in the first week of July. Locals complain that the bridge construction, which began in 2025, has been progressing slowly. In 2024, the D.K. District Collector ordered the stoppage of vehicle movement on the Parari-Ulaibettu and Addoor-Polali bridges due to their dilapidated condition. While the Polali bridge was reopened after patch-up work, the Ulaibettu-Parari small bridge was opened for traffic without any repairs.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Vartha Bharati DK