Hanging bridge likely across Cauvery

Hassan: A popular pilgrimage centre, Ramanthapura has temples dedicated to Hindu gods, Rameshwara and Subramanya among others, on one side of the river Cauvery,  while a temple dedicated to Laxmaneshwara stands in isolation on the other in Arakalgudu taluk of Hassan.

Pilgrims, who find it hard to reach the ancient Laxmaneshwara temple, could soon have  a half a kilometer long hanging bridge across the river to help them to get to it thanks to district in-charge and Minister for Animal Husbandry, A Manju , who has come up with the idea, according to source in the tourism department.

Currently the pilgrims need to travel about eight kilometres from Ramanathapura  to visit this  stand- alone temple. Bharadwaj and Company, specialists in hanging bridge construction, have given their technical opinion on the project after a spot inspection and Nirmithi Kendra officials have put the construction cost at '1.62 crore.

 “A hanging bridge will be an attraction as pilgrims will find it a thrilling experience to walk on it across the river Cauvery and it will also make it easier for them to cover all the temples  on both sides of the river,” said a tourism officer, revealing that Mr Manju had  in a letter to the tourism director in Bengaluru,  asked for release of funds for the hanging bridge to help boost tourism in and around Ramanathapura.