Mangaluru: The State Cabinet on Saturday granted approval for construction of a bridge-cum-barrage across the Netravathi connecting Adyarkatte, off the National Highway 75, and Harekala, near Mangalore University. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has earmarked ₹ 174 crore in the budget for this work.

Apart from meeting the long-standing demand of connecting these two places, the project will help in harvesting water for many of the arid regions of Mangaluru Assembly Constituency. This project was part of the Paschima Vahini Scheme launched last year to build vented dams across west-flowing rivers, said Food and Civil Supplies Minister U.T. Khader here on Sunday.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Khader said that the project has proposed the construction of a 7 m wide bridge downstream of the Thumbe Vented Dam. Below this bridge would be the barrage that will impound about 6 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water.

A multi-village drinking water scheme estimated at ₹ 134 crore would help harvest water and meet the drinking water needs of the arid regions of the Mangaluru Assembly Constituency. “We (those from Ullal City Municipal Council) will be relieved from relying on Mangaluru City Corporation for supply of drinking water from the Thumbe Vented Dam,” he said.

With Cabinet clearing the bridge-cum-barrage work, Mr. Khader said, the Minor Irrigation Department would start the work of preparing a detailed project report and then tenders would be floated. The bridge atop the dam would alleviate commuting woes of people around Konaje, Innoli, Harekala and surrounding areas. The residents of these areas now depend either upon boats to reach NH 66 on the northern bank of the Netravathi or on buses that take a circuitous route to reach the city.

Mr. Khader said that the Cabinet has cleared a policy for extraction of sand from non-Coastal Regulatory Zone areas in Dakshina Kannada. As per the new norm, all residents, who have been in a taluk for five years or more, can apply for licence for extraction of sand. “This removes the monopoly of a few people involved in extraction of sand,” he said and added that this will help curb illegal sand extraction.