Shivamogga: A six-decade-long dream of over 40 villages scattered across the backwaters of the Sharavathi River in Sagar taluk is finally becoming a reality, as the much-anticipated Sigandur Bridge is all set to be inaugurated on July 14. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who laid its foundation stone in 2018, will return to formally open this historic lifeline that promises to transform connectivity in the region.

For more than sixty years, the people of Ambargodlu, Kalsavalli, Tumari and surrounding hamlets lived like islanders, relying solely on limited daytime launch services to cross the Linganamakki backwaters. After sunset, they remained completely cut off, facing unimaginable hardship in medical emergencies or urgent travel situations. But this ordeal is about to end.

Built at a cost of ₹423 crore, the Sigandur Bridge is now Karnataka’s longest inland cable-stayed bridge, stretching about 2.25 kilometers with a robust design to withstand the powerful flow of the Sharavathi. It connects Ambargodlu and Kalsavalli villages, dramatically cutting travel time between Sagar and Sigandur by nearly an hour. Not just villagers, but lakhs of devotees visiting the famous Sigandur Chowdeshwari Temple will benefit from this modern marvel.

The bridge is designed with advanced extradosed balanced cantilever technology and stands as India’s second longest cable-stayed bridge after the Dwarka bridge in Gujarat. Supported by 17 pillars and an 11-meter-wide roadway, it showcases a blend of engineering excellence and thoughtful planning amid the lush greenery of the Western Ghats.The project, which began in 2019, overcame numerous challenges — from tricky terrain to fluctuating reservoir levels — thanks to the strong political will of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, former Minister Kagodu Thimmappa and MP BY Raghavendra, whose persistent follow-up ensured steady progress.

After the bridge is inaugurated, a grand public meeting is scheduled at Sagar’s Nehru Maidan, where Minister Gadkari will also launch multiple road projects worth over ₹2,000 crore for the Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency. Among them is the ₹625-crore NH-369E Sagar bypass project, another long-pending demand aimed at easing traffic congestion in the region.