Bappanadu Temple’s historic arch relocated 77 feet without dismantling a single brick

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Nov 14, 2026: The historic ‘Swagatha Gopura’ (entrance arch) of Bappanadu Shree Durgaparameshwari Temple has been successfully relocated by 77 feet without dismantling a single brick. The challenging engineering operation was completed on Thursday.

The relocation was necessitated by the widening of National Highway 66 (NH 66), said Jeevan K. Shetty, engineering consultant at Sharada Associates.

The welcome arch was donated to the temple in 1996 by Aikala Harish Shetty, president of the Federation of Worlds Bunts Association, along with his family.

Rather than demolishing the historic structure, an alternative engineering solution was developed to preserve its architectural identity and cultural significance. Recognising the importance of conserving the gateway, Aikala Harish Shetty generously agreed to bear the entire cost of the relocation project.

Jeevan served as the project engineer and coordinator, overseeing coordination among the donor, temple management, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), various government departments and the contractors involved. Engineer Nithin Devadiga provided technical expertise and structural guidance, while Haryana-based HSPL executed the relocation work.

The operation was carried out in five carefully planned phases involving structural lifting and controlled movement. Specially prepared movement tracks, rollers and manually operated jacking arrangements were used to shift the structure horizontally by a total distance of 77 feet.

The project involved several technical challenges, including navigating an overhead high-tension electrical line and the existing rainwater drainage system. The arch has now been positioned well beyond the land acquired for the NH project.

Special attention was also given to ensuring that the relocated gateway would not obstruct the temple’s annual festivities. Adequate space has been provided for the sacred ‘Brahmaratha’ to pass safely alongside the arch along Rathabeedi. Sufficient vertical clearance has also been ensured for the ‘Vimana Ratha’ to pass beneath the gateway without obstruction.

"The final additional vertical lifting by one foot was specifically undertaken to achieve this objective," Jeevan said.