A bridge too far for commuters

​Mahbubnagar: The closure of the bridge on the Raichur-Hyderabad Highway 167 from June 20 for 45 days to carry out repairs, may cause severe inconvenience to the people of the two Telugu States as it is located on the border of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.Thousands of vehicles, including some 400 buses and about 5,000 lorries, pass through the 890-metre-long bridge daily.

Also, about 200 vehicles cross the bridge daily carrying milk and vegetables to Mahbubnagar and Hyderabad. If they are stopped prices of these commodities are sure to go up. Local people are expressing their ire towards the administration for stopping the passage of vehicles on the nearly 70-year-old bridge, located in Maganoor Mandal over River Krishna and connecting the borders of Karnataka and Telangana, without providing an alternative route.

• 70-year-old bridge in Maganoor Mandal over River Krishna key for commuters of two Telugu States
• Thousands of vehicles, including some 400 buses and about 5,000 lorries, pass through the 890-metre-long bridge daily

The construction of the bridge began during the Nizam’s regime in 1932 and was completed a decade later. The Karnataka government has commenced the repair work for laying the CC road on the bridge. Work was being done during the last five years, filling the cracks using cement and chemicals and replacing the BT road with a cement-concrete structure.

Local people have to cross the bridge to reach Raichur, Indanoor, Gangavathi, Hubli, Bellary, besides Goa. If it is closed, they have to take the Gadwal route, thus travelling about 100 additional kilometres and consuming more time. Farmers and patients from the Makthal constituency in Mahbubnagar district and Yadgir in Karnataka approaching hospitals in Raichur would particularly face hardship following the closure of the bridge.

Residents of Maktal, Vutkur, Narva, Atmakur besides Devarakadra in the district mainly depend on this bridge. Similarly, those in Saidapur and Yadgir areas are dependent on Raichur for meeting their daily essential commodities, besides fertilisers. If road transportation stops, they will face severe inconvenience. Ryots travel daily to Raichur for meeting their needs of seeds and fertilisers.

Residents of Mahbubnagar district are expressing anguish and finding fault with officials for the decision while pointing out that if the bridge repair works were taken up in April they would have opted for alternative arrangements like using the road below. "It is not proper for officials to take up the repair work during the monsoon", they say.

"It is going to be a burden for the common man."Expenses of farmers on investment, fertiliser, repair of motors, visit to hospitals will go up as they take up sowing operations during the kharif season in 15,000 to 25,000 acres. They need to visit Raichur for
meeting their daily needs.

Residents of Mahbubnagar district have appealed to their Collector and to that of Raichur to take initiative for running a train from Krishna village to Raichur for providing some relief to them.Residents of Raichur and Saktinagar in Karnataka depend on Hyderabad for meeting their trade needs.

Their raw material is secured from the Telangana capital. They are sure to suffer heavy losses if transport facilities on the bridge are stopped, the residents point out. They want the administration to make alternative road travel arrangements before taking up the bridge repair work.

Interestingly, officials of the Telangana Highway Authority have no information regarding closure of the bridge, as no official communication has reached them.

By: Narender Chary