A new suspension bridge ‘Pranava Setu’ has been constructed for the people of Ayadi village of Chembu Panchayat of Madikeri taluk under the rural development project of Pranav Foundation, Bangalore and was inaugurated recently by the villagers of Ayadi.
Speaking at a press conference in Madikeri, Karthik Bhat, media coordinator of the foundation, said that in collaboration with Kodagu Young Indian Farmers Association, Team 12 off Roaders, Malnad Youth Association of Bangalore, a new foot bridge has been built for the people of Ayadi village to cross Umbale stream in the rural development project of Pranav Foundation.
Karthik Bhat also informed that the suspension bridge was constructed with the full support of Kodagu – Mysore Lok Sabha Constituency M P Yaduveer KrishnadattaChamaraja Wodeyar, Virajpet Constituency MLA A.S. Ponnanna, Public TV Head HR Ranganath and many villagers. He informed that the suspension bridge was built by Padma Shri Girish Bharadwaja and his team.
In Ayadi village of Chembu Gram Panchayat, Umbale stream overflows and turns the village into an island during monsoon. In the last week of May 2024, the Pranav Foundation team came to know about the issue. On June 1, a site visit was made to get a real understanding of the problem. After talking with some experts and locals, he said that it was possible to build a temporary foot bridge for it.
Subsequntly Pranav Foundation approached Padma Shri Girish Bhardwaj’s team of experts on suspension bridges. The team immediately responded to the request of Pranav Foundation and visited the place on June 17 and conducted an inspection. Then a plan was formulated. On June 25, Pranav Foundation trustees and members met the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner and submitted information and request letter about the project and obtained permission.
Later, the work on the footbridge started on August 10. On August 22, the construction and installation of the bridge was completed and now it is ready.
The steel suspension bridge is 24 meters long and 0.75 meters wide. 10 people can stand at a time and it will last for 5 years. He said that the government is in progress to build a permanent bridge here, and until it is implemented, the suspension bridge will be convenient for the movement of the villagers.
Speaking on the occasion Pranav Foundation Trustee Manjunath Bhatt said that Pranav Foundation started in Bangalore in 2020, is mainly doing work to bring improvement in the fields of education, health and environmental protection. Pranav Foundation’s social work started with the construction of a 50-bed Covid Care Center in Bommanahalli, Bangalore during the 2020 Covid. He said that Pranav Foundation has been doing many programs which are beneficial to the society
Pranav Foundation’s Trustees Mahesh, N. Netra, Devi Prasad, coordinator of suspension bridge construction, villager Kiran Atlur were present on the occasion.
