The Hindu : Karnataka News : Access to two islands in Raichur to soon be a reality

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Tuesday, Jun 21, 2011
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Access to two islands in Raichur to soon be a reality

Staff Correspondent

Government approves revised estimates for two bridges

Dangerous:People have to take a risky ride in country boats to reach the Kurvakala island in Raichur taluk.

Raichur: Launching of work on two of the three bridges proposed across river Krishna to provide access to two historical islands in Raichur taluk is expected to commence soon as the Government has given its approval for the revised estimates.

According to official sources, the Government had decided to construct three bridges across the river to provide access to the Naradagadda, the Kurvakala and the Kurvakurd islands, which have been cut off from the mainland in the backwaters of the Jurala project of Andhra Pradesh.

The Government directed the Public Works Department to go ahead with the construction of a bridge between Dongaramur and Kurvakurd island at a revised estimate of Rs.7.84 crore and another bridge between Atkoor and Kurvakala island at a revised estimate of Rs.15.9 crore. However, it has not yet to approved the revised estimates for the construction of a bridge between Buradiad and Naradagadda island owing to some technical problem.

Kurvakala island has its own religious importance where Dattatreya Peetha cherished while Naradagadda is another historical religious place where Naradamuni Peetha and Chennabasaweshara temple cherished. Both the islands have now been submerged in the backwaters of the Jurala project.

It is necessary to provide access to Kurvakala and Naradagadda islands as thousands of devotees, including those from Maharastra and Andhra Pradesh, visit these islands every year.

Kurvakurd island was inhabited with a population of about 285. But after the Jurala project was launched, the Government acquired the entire island, including 298 houses and about 748 acres of cultivable land, and paid necessary compensation to the affected families. It also shifted the entire population to a rehabilitation centre near Dongaramur village in Raichur taluk.

Now the island is uninhabited but some people still cultivate land on the island unauthorisedly. In fact, now the entire island is under the possession of the Revenue Department which has to hand over the island along with other islands, including Buradiad village, to Andhra Pradesh once the Government completes all rehabilitation works.

Deputy Commissioner V. Anbukkumar told The Hindu on Monday that the decision to construct a bridge between Dongaramura and Kurvakurd island was taken some years back. The Government had to take a decision whether to construct a bridge to the deserted island or not. However, in this regard, he would submit a detailed report to the Government, he added.

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