Delays Hit Rs 105 Crore Highway and Bridge Project Near Dhadesugur

The construction of a major bridge across the Tungabhadra River near Dhadesugur on the Sindhanur–Ballari highway is nearing completion, but the overall Rs 105 crore infrastructure project has been delayed due to slow progress on six minor canal bridges and the asphalting of a 13-kilometre road stretch.

The project's scheduled completion deadline has already expired, and remaining works are unlikely to be completed for at least another six months as the monsoon sets in. The key highway connects Kalaburagi and several North Karnataka districts, making the delay a significant issue for regional commuters.

A Davanagere-based contractor was entrusted with the bridges and approach road from Venkateshwara Camp to Dhadesugur, but progress has been extremely slow. The minor bridges are being built over several distributary canals of the Tungabhadra Left Bank Main Canal that cross the highway.

Last year, water was not released into the distributary canals after a crest gate at the Tungabhadra Dam was damaged, which provided favourable conditions for construction. However, due to the contractor's slow pace, the opportunity was missed.

With the monsoon now setting in, local farmers from Venkateshwara Camp, Budivala Camp, and Dhadesugur fear that if the reservoir fills and water is released into the canals, construction will be forced to a complete halt. This has caused severe anxiety among the local farming community.

Commuters continue to face ongoing traffic bottlenecks due to the unfinished roads and minor bridges. During last year's monsoon, a temporary bridge near Kallur Camp was washed away twice by floodwaters, halting highway traffic for days.

Local leaders and farmer groups, including the Karnataka Raitha Prantha Sangha and the Rajya Raitha Sangha, have urged authorities to impose penalties on the contractors for failing to meet the stipulated deadline and to expedite the remaining works.