Footbridges made of old truck chassis inaugurated in Byndoor Assembly segment
Mangalore Today News Network
Kundapura, July 14, 2024: On Saturday, July 13th, Gururaj Gantihole, Byndoor MLA and Ramesh Arun, trustee of the Dr. R. Arunachalam Trust, inaugurated footbridges constructed using old truck chassis in the remote villages of Yadamoge and Thombattu, located at the foothills of the Western Ghats.
Although these villages fall under the Kundapur revenue taluk, they are part of the neighboring Byndoor Assembly constituency. The Yadamoge footbridge spans the Kubja River, connecting the remote Rampaiah Jaddu hamlet with Kumtiberu. The Thombattu footbridge, crossing the Thombattu River (a tributary of the Varahi), links the remote hamlet of Guddimane with Kabbinale.
The innovative footbridges were built under the Samruddha Byndoor initiative with support from the Arunachalam Trust. Mr. Gantihole highlighted that the bridges fulfill decades-old demands from residents in these remote areas. Previously, villagers relied on makeshift wooden footbridges during the monsoon, risking their lives.
Due to the slow pace of footbridge construction under government schemes, Mr. Gantihole sought assistance from donors. He expressed gratitude to the Bengaluru-based Arunachalam Trust for their support in this endeavor.
Dr. Arun shared that after Mr. Gantihole explained the urgent need for footbridges, he visited the areas and recognized the necessity. Consequently, the Trust sponsored the construction of the footbridges.
Local farmers, Satyamurthy Hemmanna and Krishna Naika, expressed relief and happiness over the safer footbridge, noting that during the monsoon, the swollen waterbodies posed a significant threat. They emphasized the need for a permanent solution.
The inauguration was attended by Yadamoge gram panchayat president Sumathi Ganiga, former vice-president Pranesh Yadiyala, Kamalashile Sri Brahmi Durgaparameshwari Temple Managing Trustee Sachhidananda Chatra, Amasebail gram panchayat former president Jayalakshmi Shetty, Thombattu Sri Mahaganapathi Temple Managing Trustee Satyanarayana Udupa, and others.