The construction of the Rs. 13.5-crore bridge linking Malpe with Baputhota over the Udyavara rivulet in Udupi city was in the final stages and work would be completed soon. This bridge would be opened for traffic within two months, Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Services and Sports Pramod Madhwaraj has said. Speaking here on Tuesday, he said that steps would be initiated to build small bridges in Kalsank, Kodankur and Kambalkatte areas at a cost of Rs. 2 crore. Work on a bridge at Shimbra taken up at a cost of Rs. 10 crore connecting Shimbra with Kolalgiri, Havanje and Uppoor, had begun. It would be completed by March 2018. The construction of a modern fish market on the PPC Road here at a cost of Rs. 2.35 crore was nearing completion, while a proposal for construction of a fish market at Sasthan village at a cost of Rs. 2 crore had been submitted to the government. A breakwater channel would be constructed at the fisheries harbour at Gangolli at a cost of Rs. 102 crore. A proposal had been sent to the government for the construction of 27 vented dams at a cost of Rs. 16.5 crore. These vented dams, when constructed, would provide irrigation facilities to 683 hectares of land. To provide clean drinking water in rural areas, the government had installed eight drinking water units. The government had entered into agreement with a private company to install 90 more drinking water units in rural areas, Mr. Madhwaraj said. Dinakar Babu, president of Udupi Zilla Panchayat, Meenakshi Bannanje, president of Udupi City Municipal Council, and Nalini Rao, president of Udupi Taluk Panchayat, were present.
2016, The Hindu