Additional two-lane bridge across Netravathi River opens for traffic at B.C. Road

The NHAI on November 16 informally opened the additional two-lane bridge across the Netravathi in B.C. Road, a part of B.C. Road-Adda Hole four-lane widening of Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway 75 project.

The National Highways authority of India (NHAI) on Saturday (November 16, 2024) informally opened the additional two-lane bridge across the Netravathi in B.C. Road, a part of B.C. Road-Adda Hole four-lane widening of Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway 75 project.

A spokesperson of contractor, M/s KNR Constructions, said upon completion of the bridge, vehicles wee allowed on experimental basis from Friday, November 15. Full scale vehicular movement commenced from Saturday, he said. The new bridge accommodates traffic from Mangaluru to Bengaluru while the existing bridge takes the traffic on the reverse direction. A temporary divider was constructed at B.C. Road Circle to prevent diversion of vehicles towards the old bridge and to direct them to the new bridge.

The Century-old steel girder bridge connecting Panemangaluru and B.C. Road was a part of the Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway till about 2001. Called “Paner Sanka” the bridge accommodated only one heavy vehicle while the other heavy vehicle had to wait for its turn. Consequently, the stretch used to witness long vehicular queues.

The present two-lane bridge was opened for traffic in 2002-03 thus ensuring seamless vehicular movement while the Paner Bridge was restricted to the movement of only light motor vehicles. Work on the third bridge, part of NH 75 fur-lane project, started in the year 2018. The earlier contractor, M/s L & T had commenced the piling work initially.

M/s KNR got the new bridge completed within three years of taking up the fresh contract. The bridge has been 386 mt long, 13.5 mt wide and is about 16 mt in height from the base of the river. It was supported by 11 pillars at an approximate distance of 38 mt each.

The vehicular overpass at Panemangaluru junction was almost complete and the NHAI has allowed vehicular movement on the new VoP. Another VoP at Melkar junction was expected to be opened by this month-end. Yet, traffic congestion between B.C. Road and Mani junction might not get eased up soon as the widening work between Melkar and Kalladka was still under progress.