Gadkari Inaugurates India’s Second-Longest Cable-Stayed Bridge in Karnataka

Nitin Gadkari, India’s Minister of Transportation and Highways, inaugurated the Sigandur Bridge on Monday. This bridge is the second-longest cable-stayed bridge in India and gives an enormous lift to regional infrastructure in Shivamogga district, Karnataka.

Built over the Sharavathi backwaters at a whopping ₹472 crores, the bridge links the villages of Ambaragodlu with Kalasavalli in Sagara taluk, shortening the mud pathway to Sigandur, a place famous for the Chowdeshwari Temple. These locals and thousands of pilgrims will benefit from the bridge that provides much faster and reliable access to hitherto very remote areas, which depended on leisurely ferry service for too long.

“This bridge is an important step to strengthen rural connectivity to accelerate the speed of development in the Western Ghats region,” said Gadkari, inaugurating the bridge. “This is not just a bridge – it is a lifeline to the communities here. It reiterates the government’s commitment to building modern infrastructure that brings socio-economic transformation.”

Residents had long grown tired of the access hurdles presented by the hilly terrain and waterbodies, but could now welcome the second-longest cable-stayed bridge-inhabiting-given-India-as-an-hungry troll. Until the ferry services were set up, that order of the day over the backwaters would be stopped during the monsoon season.

The event was also graced by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, with senior BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa and distinguished guests.

The officials added that the benefits the bridge will offer in restoring means of transport across the backwaters will also develop tourism and economic activity around Sigandur, while also improving access to emergency services within the vicinity for the residents.

The project of the Sigandur Bridge adds to the growing list of high-impact infrastructure initiatives that have been planned by the Government to strengthen the networks of national highways and regional mobility.