Mangaluru Smart City will begin lifting a 900 tonne bowstring girder for the Sulthan Bathery–Tannirbavi bridge, marking an engineering milestone for coastal Karnataka. The move forms a stage of the Rs 640 million Smart City project to improve connectivity between Sulthan Bathery and Tannirbavi. The operation will be carried out over the Phalguni River, also known as the Gurupura River. The work involves hoisting a 100-metre-long single-unit girder from the river bed and positioning it atop new piers at about 11 metres elevation. The general manager (technical) said the girder would be lifted from the coffer bund and then set on the pier supports in a carefully sequenced operation. Specialist lifting equipment and engineered sequencing have been deployed to manage the load and stability. The lifting phase is expected to require nearly two weeks, with the initial jacking operation likely to last up to six days. Work has been scheduled so the temporary river bund can be dismantled before the monsoon to restore boat movement. Safety protocols and river traffic management measures have been put in place for the duration of the exercise. The bridge extends to about one kilometre including approach roads and will provide a nine-metre-wide carriageway with pedestrian footpaths. It has been designed to meet National Waterway-43 standards by offering a vertical clearance of 10 metres and an 80-metre navigational span to facilitate river traffic. Structural elements and approach alignments balance marine passage with urban access. Once complete the link is expected to improve access to Tannirbavi beach and reduce travel for residents of the Bengre peninsula who currently rely on ferry services or longer road routes via Kuloor and Panambur. The scheme is anticipated to boost tourism and local economic activity by creating a direct city connection to a coastal destination. Mandatory environmental and Coastal Regulation Zone clearances were secured earlier this year and work is proceeding rapidly towards completion.