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Bike rider has a lucky escape as bridge collapses in Chikkamagaluru

Chikkamagaluru: A bike rider escaped with injuries after a part of the bridge on which he was passing through collapsed following heavy rain at Maalinganaadu in Mudigere taluk, late on Sunday.

Pradeep, 35, was rescued by a scooter rider and an alert car driver who stopped after they suspected something amiss in the dead night.

They alerted neighbouring planters and police and shifted Pradeep, a private firm employee, to a hospital, said Belur police.

A part of the bridge, about 25-feet long, collapsed after heavy rain lashed the area. With this, access to nearly a dozen villages has been cut off in Chikkamgaluru’s Mudigere taluk. The bridge connects villages including Aramane Talaguru, Bilagali, Maalinganaadu, Tameenakudige, Hemmakki, Idakani and Neeranki.

Mudigere tahsildar H M Ramesh told TOI that the taluk received heavy rainfall around 7pm on Sunday and after the rain the bridge collapsed around 10pm. “We were informed about the incident early on Monday. The taluk received 7 inches of rain on the day,” he said.

According to sources, the bridge developed cracks following loosening of soil sometime back, but it was temporarily rectified.

Following the incident, PWD officials visited the spot and inspected the area. They said a temporary bridge would be constructed within a week’s time.

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