Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on 14 July inaugurated the Sigandur cable-stayed bridge, India’s second-longest of its kind, in Karnataka. Despite the significance of the event, no members of the Karnataka state cabinet, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, were present.

Constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 4.72 billion, the bridge spans 2.1 kilometres across the Sharavathi backwaters, linking Ambaragodlu and Kalasavalli in Sagara taluk, Shivamogga district. Of the total stretch, 740 metres comprise the cable-supported section.

Also referred to as the Ambaragodlu-Kalasavalli Bridge, it is expected to drastically cut travel time by two hours for commuters travelling from Sagara to the Sigandur region, a location renowned for the Chowdeshwari Temple.

The project, situated along NH-369E—a secondary route of NH-69 running from Avinagalli to Marakutika via Holebagilu, Kalasavalli, and Sigandur—was originally launched by Gadkari in 2018 at Holebagilu.

The absence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his ministers was notable. The CM had recently written to Gadkari requesting a postponement of the inauguration and foundation stone-laying ceremonies for projects in Sagara taluk, citing that he was not informed of the schedule in advance.