MANGALURU: The wooden bridge at Uppukala in Balugodu village in Sullia, collapsed late in the evening on Saturday. According to Chethan Kajegadde, a local villager, about 49 people from 11 houses are now cut off from the mainland. The area is receiving heavy rain, and a portion of the bridge built across the stream that joins the Kumaradhara River, was washed away.
Locals demanded that Deputy Commissioner K V Rajendra visit the place, and give a written assurance about a permanent solution. In the past too, locals have faced similar situations.
Meanwhile, Hariharapallathadka GP PDO Maniyana Purushothama, along with revenue inspector Shankar M and village accountant Madhu, visited the village on Sunday.
He said the panchayat is thinking of providing the villagers with a suspension footbridge. A team of officials, including the Sullia tahsildar, executive engineer zilla panchayat and executive officer taluk panchayat, are expected to visit the village on Monday.
The Uppukala village is located in Hariharapallathadka gram panchayat, and there are about 24 houses, with 90 people living in the village.
Of them, about 11 houses are located on the other side of the stream, and the locals had built a wooden bridge using areca and jungle timber, to cross the stream.
From the bridge to reach the Balugodu village for their daily requirements including the purchase of ration, they have to travel about six kilometres on a mud road.
The area is located on the Dakshina Kannada-Kodagu border. The PDO said that arrangements have been made to provide the villagers with basic necessities, including groceries on Monday. TOI had reported the plight of the villages in the report ‘Wooden bridge a hazard for villagers,’ in the edition dated July 8.
