The Kalsanka Bridge at the Kalsanka Junction on the busy Udupi-Manipal Road is expected to be widened by the end of December to facilitate smooth movement of traffic.
The Kalsanka Junction sees heavy movement of traffic in the city, especially during mornings and evenings, when people go and return from educational, finance and healthcare institutions in Manipal.
Though a big bridge was built replacing the small bridge about six years ago, the traffic on this road has increased substantially. At the Kalsanka Junction, four roads meet — the four-lane Gundibail-Kaslank Road, the four-lane road going towards Udupi and Manipal, and the road coming from the Rajangana Park Lot.
All these roads meet on the Kalsanka Bridge and the vehicles often have to struggle to turn. The vehicles especially cars and buses going towards Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple have to struggle to reach the Rajangana Parking Lot.
The district police had already submitted a proposal to the Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) and also the National Highways Department to widen the bridge to facilitate smooth movement of traffic. The district police have also started the operation of signal lights at the Kalsanka Junction since July 2.
“Ideally it would be better if the bridge is widened as it will help the vehicles to turn and facilitate the movement of traffic. We have put on the signal lights on an experimental basis for a week to identify the bottlenecks. We are trying to manage the situation with traffic constables and the signals now,” said K. Annamalai, Superintendent of Police.
Meanwhile, the Udupi-Manipal Road, which was earlier a part of Malpe-Molkalmuru State Highway was handed over to the National Highways Department and has since become part of Udupi-Tirthahalli National Highway 169A.
The District Administration, which has realized the importance of widening the bridge, is giving priority to it. R. Vishal, Deputy Commissioner, said that he had directed the CMC Commissioner to prepare an estimate for widening the bridge.
“Once we get the estimate, we will immediately arrange for funds and get the bridge widened by the December end so that there is no obstruction of traffic during the Paryaya Festival to be held here on January 18, 2016,” he said.
