India’s Second‑Longest Cable‑Stayed Bridge Unveiled Over Sharavathi at Shivamogga.

In mid-July 2025, Union Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari officially unveiled India’s second‑longest cable-stayed bridge across the Sharavathi backwaters in Shivamogga’s Sagara taluk. The 2.44 km structure enhances regional travel, tourism, and economic growth while showcasing advanced engineering.

      - Union Minister Nitin Gadkari presided over the inauguration on 14 July 2025, accompanied by fellow Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and senior BJP leader and former Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa. The ceremony took place between Ambaragodlu and Kalasavalli, and marked the completion of this ₹472–473 crore project.

      - Construction began in December 2019 after project clearance in March 2019 by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH). Built by Dilip Buildcon Ltd, the bridge features an extradosed balanced‑cantilever design with a 16 m-wide deck—an 11 m carriageway and 1.5 m footpaths on each side—and 96 cables supported by four pylons.

      - This landmark truss spans 2.44 km and incorporates 604 box-girder segments on 164 piles (1.8 m diameter). It reduces commute time by around two hours by replacing a daytime-only barge service, thus better linking villages, part of the Malnad region, and facilitating pilgrims visiting Sigandur Chowdeshwari and Kollur Mookambika temples.

Main Point :-   (i) A political controversy emerged as Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and his cabinet stayed away, citing inadequate notice. The Chief Minister released a letter stating that MoRTH had consulted his office only three days earlier and requested a postponement due to prior commitments. Gadkari maintained that formal invitations were issued on 11 July, with follow-up for virtual participation, emphasizing respect for cooperative federalism.

      (ii) Beyond its local impact, the project is part of a larger infrastructure push—Gadkari also announced a ₹10,000 crore Belagavi–Hungund–Raichur four‑lane corridor, 40% progress on Bengaluru’s ring road (₹15,000 crore), and acceleration of the Hassan–Raichur Economic Corridor. He noted that Tumakuru–Shivamogga highway work is nearing completion, set to halve driving time between Bengaluru and Shivamogga.

(iii) As the bridge opens to the public, it is expected to alleviate travel bottlenecks, foster regional economic development, and support tourism in the Sigandur area. With a maintenance plan involving a 10‑year initial period followed by bi‑annual checks, the bridge is set to be a durable asset enhancing connectivity across Karnataka’s Malnad region.
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