B.Y. Raghavendra, newly elected MP for Shivamogga, said on Thursday that he would make efforts for the commencement of work on a bridge across Sharavathi river backwater near Tumari and for the revival of Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Plant (VISP), a public sector unit in Bhadravathi.
Speaking to presspersons after the inauguration of his office at the Assistant Commissioner’s office complex in the city, he said work on constructing the bridge across the Sharavathi backwater that connects Kalasavalli and Ambaragodlu villages would commence soon.
Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, had laid the foundation stone for the 2.13-km bridge on February 19. According to the original estimate, ₹605 crore was needed for the work. The estimate was revised to ₹450 crore by reducing the width of the bridge from 16 to 12 metres. Mr. Raghavendra said he would soon meet officials of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in New Delhi and request them to commence the work at the earliest.