Proposal for reconstruction of Karambar bridge sent a year ago
A minor arch bridge in Karambar, Karnataka, collapsed after sinking, causing traffic disruptions on a key highway. Local authorities had submitted a reconstruction proposal a year prior, but the project remained unapproved.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the impact of bureaucratic delays on critical infrastructure maintenance and public safety.
Traffic disruption on the Mangaluru International Airport-Bajpe section of the busy Mangaluru-Athradi State Highway 67 could have been avoided had the government approved a proposal sent a year ago for the reconstruction of the damaged minor arch bridge at Karambar.
A portion of the minor arch bridge constructed in 1963 sunk on Wednesday, forcing the Public Works Department (PWD) to suspend vehicular movement on the bridge at Karambar, between MIA and Bajpe. The department had sent a proposal for the reconstruction of the bridge in March 2025 asking the government to sanction ₹2 crore for the work. It had said the bridge had become weak over the years because of vagaries of nature.
The Karambar bridge reconstruction was one among many proposals from Dakshina Kannada district sent to the government for approval.
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