The Netravati railway bridge serves as the gateway to Mangalore.
The Netravati River (Tulu: ನೇತ್ರಾವತಿ ನದಿ ) (or Nethravathi River) has its origins at Gangamoola at Samse in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka, India. This river flows through the famous pilgrimage place Dharmasthala and considered as one of the Holy rivers of India. It merges with the Kumaradhara River at Uppinangadi before flowing to the Arabian Sea. This river is the main source of water to Bantwal and Mangalore. The Netravathi railway bridge is one of the known bridges which serves as the gateway to Mangalore.
Earlier in the last century it was called as Buntwal River due to the important town of Bantwal on its banks. A reference to the River Nettrawutti, as it is mentioned in the book can be seen in the "Gazetteer of Southern India", published in 1855, as unfordable during South-West Monsoon. It has apparent breadth of about 200 yards with a bed encumbered by large rocky masses chiefly of horneblend rock, containing spangles of mica and small garnets. Sienites also occurs, fragments of a beautiful pegmatite with flesh coloured felspar are seen in the beds of rivulets. The Netravati River is navigable by small country craft for many miles.
Many a times in the past Bantwal was submerged during the monsoon by overflowing river Netravati. Many had left the town and settled elsewhere and prospered. The major floods was as remembered by the elders of the town in 1928 and 1974.
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Coordinates: 12°50′N 74°52′E / 12.833°N 74.867°E / 12.833; 74.867
