About Sigandur Bridge:
- The Sigandur Bridge, also known as the Ambaragodlu-Kalasavalli Bridge, is constructed across Sharavati River backwaters in Sagar taluk of Shivamogga district in Karnataka.
- It is India's second-longest cable-stayed bridge. It is 44 km long and16 metre wide.
- It was built at a cost of Rs 473 crore.
- This bridge will reduce the distance from Sagara town to Sigandur where the famous Chowdeshwari temple is situated.
- The new bridge restores a critical link disrupted since the construction of the Linganamakki Dam in the 1970s, which submerged key land corridors and left many communities isolated.
- With no proper bridge over the backwaters, villagers often relied on boats or had to make long road detours to reach taluk centres.
Key Facts about Sharavati River:
- It is an important west-flowing river in the state of Karnataka.
- A major part of the Sharavati river basin lies in the Western Ghats.
- Course:
- Rising in the Western Ghats, it flows in a northwesterly direction to the Arabian Sea at Honavar in Uttara Kannada District.
- The length of the river is 128 km, and the river basin covers 2,985 sq km.
- On its way, the Sharavathi forms the Jog Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in India, where the river falls from a height of 253 m.
- Diverse geological features mark the river’s course, including rocky outcrops, fertile plains, and deep gorges.
- Major Tributaries: Nandihole, Haridravathi, Mavinahole, Hilkunji, Yennehole, Hurlihole, and Nagodihole.
