Kushalnagar, Jul. 21: Madikeri MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda has expressed his thoughts on revitalizing the 179-year-old ancient bridge built across the Cauvery River that connects Kodagu and Mysore districts.
This bridge, which is found near the forest inspection gate on the Kushalnagar-Koppa border, was built by the British in 1846, and it can be seen that this bridge is still strong. This bridge, which reflects the technology of that time, is likely to last for hundreds of years if maintained properly.
Now, this bridge has been completely neglected without any vehicle traffic, and it can be seen that it is covered with wild plants. During the construction of a new bridge built nearby 25 years ago, the then government had instructed the contractors who carried out the work of the new bridge to clear this bridge.
Upon receiving information about this, Chandramohan, the leader of the local Cauvery River Cleansing Movement Committee, and social worker coffee entrepreneur P.K. Devaiah wrote a letter to the then Public Works Minister Dharmasingh, requesting him to save and preserve the bridge without demolishing it.
It can be recalled that the bridge was not removed because the minister responded in this context. But the bridge is facing a lack of maintenance. For the past many years, the Cauvery River Cleansing Movement Committee, Bharavi Kannada Sangha, in cooperation with the local administration, have been continuously working to maintain the cleanliness of the bridge.
In addition, greening work can also be seen by planting trees on one part of the bridge through the Cauvery Environment Protection Committee. This bridge is a symbol of rare ancient technology.
Such works are highly appreciated in Western countries. But here it has been neglected. High Court lawyer M.P. Amritesh had appealed to the government that the government should pay attention and preserve it. The departments concerned had collected comprehensive information about the bridge and submitted a report to the government. But no action was taken.
The bridge, built in 1846, was inaugurated in 1848 by Mark Cubbon, the then Commissioner of Kodagu and Mysore. It was named Pressurepet Bridge. This can be seen in the stone installed on the bridge during its inauguration. After a new bridge was built next to it in 2001-2 and opened for use, this bridge has fallen into disrepair. The wild plants growing on both sides of the bridge need to be cleared and the bridge needs to be polished.
There is a need to decorate this area with lamps to turn it into a public recreation center. A plan can also be made to light an aarti on the Cauvery River once a week. This can attract the attention of tourists at the entrance gate of the district, says Harsha, a leader of the Cauvery River Cleanliness Movement Committee in Kodaga.
A request has already been submitted to Kodagu District In-charge Minister Bhosaraju and constituency MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda, who recently visited the district, regarding this. Action can also be taken to arrange lights on both sides of the bridge.
The development of the century-old bridge was also discussed in the Kushalnagar Municipality general meeting and a decision has also been taken to obtain funds through the MLAs for the preservation and development of the bridge. This historical bridge located on the border of the district is about 130 meters long and can be seen in an area of about 8 meters wide. At present, this bridge is without any kind of maintenance because there is a traffic system on the new bridge. An action plan for the development of this bridge needs to be formed by the government to create a platform to enjoy the beauty of the Cauvery, which flows along the border of two districts including Kodagu and Mysore.
Consideration needs to be given to building a large-sized entrance gate including two bridges on the border of the district. Along with this, there is a need to build a center here that provides basic facilities to the lakhs of tourists visiting Kodagu district, as well as at least basic information about the religious and tourist centers of the district, and the district administration needs to formulate an action plan for this.
A statue of the Cauvery has been built on one side of the bridge boundary, and projects that will appeal to tourists need to be developed on the other side.
Note:This article is translated by xklsv.com, from shakthidaily.info; the Shakthi Daily is not liable for any errors in translation. If there are any errors in spellings, please mail [email protected]
