Indrali Bow String Bridge Inaugurated to Ease Udupi–Manipal Commute
21 Sept 2025 10:17 PM IST21 Sept 2025 10:17 PM IST
Vehicles are expected to be allowed on the new structure shortly, and commuters are confident that the facility will finally end years of congestion on the busy Udupi–Manipal corridor
The overbridge, part of National Highway 169A, was inaugurated on Sunday by Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna. (X)
Udupi: Daily travel between Udupi, the temple town, and Manipal, one of the premier education hubs in the country, will now become easier with the inauguration of the long-awaited Bow String Girder Bridge over the Mangaluru–Mumbai railway line at Indrali.
The overbridge, part of National Highway 169A, was inaugurated on Sunday by Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna.
Vehicles are expected to be allowed on the new structure shortly, and commuters are confident that the facility will finally end years of congestion on the busy Udupi–Manipal corridor.
The inauguration of the Bow String Girder Bridge drew widespread attention, with photos and videos circulating rapidly on social media.
Home to the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and several other institutes, Manipal attracts students from across India and abroad. Udupi, known for the Sri Krishna Math and nearby tourist spots such as Malpe beach, also sees heavy daily footfall. The steady movement of students, devotees and tourists has often resulted in traffic snarls along the Udupi–Manipal road.
Decades ago, when the Konkan Railway line was laid, an overbridge was built near Indrali School. But as the highway was widened to four lanes and traffic increased, the absence of a second bridge turned the stretch into a bottleneck, often bringing vehicles to a standstill.
Traffic from Manipal to Indrali and from Udupi to MGM College had to merge from a four-lane road into just two lanes along a 700-metre stretch between MGM and Indrali. The stretch not only slowed traffic but also witnessed accidents.
Mounting public pressure pushed elected representatives, including Udupi–Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, to take up the matter with Railway authorities. The project was finally expedited by the National Highway Division of the Karnataka Public Works Department in coordination with the Konkan Railway.
The steel bow string girder was assembled on-site and in May this year was carefully slid across the railway valley before being lowered onto concrete abutments and concretised. Though the work was originally expected to be completed by June, it was inaugurated in September.
Calling the bridge “a much-needed facility,” Somanna assured that all pending demands related to his ministry would be addressed.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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