Mysuru: One of the pet peeves of regular devotees to the Nanjangud Srikanteshwara temple is the difficulty in getting to the spot on the banks of River Kapila , the waters of which lap very close to the walls of the temple, where they can take a dip. Taking cognisance of the inconvenience that crossing the highway to reach the banks of the river put devotees in, the National highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to construct an underpass to facilitate easy access to the sacred spot. Work on the underpass is expected to be completed before the start of the Dodda Jathra Mahotsava on March 19.The spot on the banks of the river is approximately 500m from the main entrance of the temple, and devotees are forced to cross the bustling National Highway-150A to enjoy a dip in the rushing waters of Kapila. There have been reports of devotees meeting with accidents while crossing the road. NHAI appears to have observed the problems faced by the devotees, who throng the Srikanteshwara temple, popularly called ‘Dakshina Kashi’, in thousands. The underpass will ensure hassle-free passage to the banks of the river, thereby preventing the need for devotees to jeopardise their lives crossing the road. NHAI has undertaken the construction of the underpass at an estimated cost of Rs 60 to Rs 70 lakh.In the weekends, and other auspicious occasions such as New Moon and Full Moon days, the temple registers attendance to the tune of 50,000, a number that is likely to multiply during the Dodda Jathra Mahotsava next month.A frequent visitor to the temple, S Ravi, a Bengaluru resident, was among those who welcomed the NHAI’s initiative to build an underpass. Highlighting the risks that crossing the busy highway entailed, Ravi added, “It is really a great initiative on the part of the authorities to develop an underpass between the river and the temple. It is always dangerous to cross the road, particularly when there are children and senior citizens. Devotees will heave a huge sigh of relief once this underpass is completed.”NHAI assistant executive engineer Jagadeesh told TOI that work on the underpass commenced in August last year. “We are confident of completing the structure before the mahotsava. Besides this underpass, we are also focusing on providing other facilities for the devotees who are expected to visit Nanjangud for the fete. We will construct public toilets, and bathrooms of devotees. Plans to re-lay stone slabs along the banks of Kapila is also on the anvil,” Jagadeesh said.

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