Centre sanctions Rs 27 crore under the Sethubandhan scheme for the Bairakkuppa bridge across the Kabani linking Kerala and Karnataka

19 October 2026

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 27 crore for the construction of the Bairakkuppa bridge across the Kabani river, connecting Wayanad in Kerala with Karnataka.
The bridge is to be built under the Sethubandhan scheme of the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund, and will link Perikkalloor village in Wayanad with Bairakkuppa in Karnataka.
The Kerala government had first submitted a Rs 40 crore proposal, after which the National Highways wing's chief engineer prepared and submitted a revised Rs 27 crore project report that was approved.
The foundation stone for a bridge across the Kabani at this point was laid on September 24, 1994 by the then Chief Ministers of Kerala and Karnataka, K. Karunakaran and Veerappa Moily, but construction never began.
Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took up the project with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and Karnataka then gave its consent.
Land acquisition, construction, supervision and maintenance of the approach roads on both banks are to be borne by the Kerala Public Works Department.