Mangaluru: Residents have raised concerns over lack of maintenance of a suspension bridge over Phalguni river, connecting Badagabellur in Bantwal taluk to Muthuru in Mangaluru taluk, urging the authorities to take up immediate repairs.Around 300 people depend on the bridge daily, which serves as a crucial link for residents — especially students who access nearby schools and colleges.Rithesh Shetty, a Badagabellur resident, said the bridge, built around 2015-16, has not undergone regular servicing. He pointed out that a bridge meant for vehicular traffic along that same stretch had collapsed in 2023.“The structure requires periodic greasing, painting, and tightening of cables, but no such maintenance has been carried out. The side mesh is damaged, rust has set in, and weeds has grown over parts of the bridge,” he said.Shetty said despite repeated representations to the authorities, the upkeep of the bridge remains unfulfilled.Highlighting maintenance issues, another resident, Jagannath Kulal, said: “It has been nearly 11 years without any repair work. We have lodged complaints with the panchayat and approached other govt officials, but the issue remains unresolved,” he said.Meanwhile, officials from the Coastal Development Authority, which built the bridge, said it has already been handed over to the gram panchayat concerned, which is responsible for its maintenance.The bridge was designed and constructed by Padma Shri awardee Girish Bharadwaj, known as the “Bridge Man of India”.Repairs to be taken up soon: MLAAssuring that repair work will be taken up soon, Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik U admitted that inspections carried out by zilla panchayat engineers did reveal some damage to the structure.Naik further said funds for maintenance will be allocated from the MLA’s area development fund.
