Mangaluru : A two-lane bridge near Mahaveera Circle on the road leading to the Mangaluru-Bengaluru national highway will be widened soon to avoid frequent traffic congestion at the circle.

The council of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) took a decision to this effect in its meeting on Monday. The council approved widening the bridge at an estimated cost of Rs. 1 crore.

B.T. Kantharaj, Deputy Commissioner (development) and Superintending Engineer at the corporation told the council that the bridge would be widened on both the sides to allow four-lane movement of traffic. Funds from the first instalment of Rs. 100 crore — special grant to the corporation from the Chief Minister — would be utilised for it.

But the Leader of the Opposition (BJP) in the council Premananda Shetty questioned the move to divert Rs. 1 crore from the Chief Minister’s special grant for the bridge work. He said it was not right to divert that amount, which had been reserved for constructing a bus stand for private buses at Pumpwell.

Replying to this, Mr. Kantharaj said that at a recent high-level meeting, the government had warned the corporation that the amount should be utilised in the current financial year. Moves to construct the bus stand was on but it would take a few more years.

The civic body might lose the amount if it waits till then to withdraw it, Mr. Kantharaj said, adding that it was better to use it for widening the bridge to help ease traffic congestion.

The council agreed to invite bids for constructing the bridge. Later he told The Hindu that short-term bids would be invited as the bidder would have to be selected and works would have to begin before March 2015 to avoid losing the fund.

Mayor Mahabala Marla told officials that henceforth, engineering, electrical and health section officials should clear the bills of contractors in consultation with the councillors of the respective wards as many councillors had alleged that the contractors were being paid even though some works remained incomplete.

The Mayor was hopeful that the government might post a regular Commissioner to the civic body in the second week of January 2015.