Despite clear risks, tourists continue to venture deep into waterfalls, and miscreants are now driving across the flooded Halatri Bridge near Manturga on the Hemmadaga–Anamode Road, where traffic has officially been banned due to water intrusion.
On June 25, a video went viral on social media showing a Thar being driven across the water-filled bridge. The act, though reckless, fortunately did not result in any casualties.
Locals recall a similar incident last year when a two-wheeler rider from Shahapur, Belagavi, was swept away while crossing the same bridge and had to cling to a tree branch to survive.
The public is now urging the taluk administration and police to take immediate action—either by erecting barricades or implementing stricter enforcement—to shut off access and prevent such life-threatening acts completely.
