Six years on, Mazbugh bridge awaits completion
Sopore: The construction of Mazbugh Bridge in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district that was started in 2013 is yet to be completed, thus leaving the people of the area to face hardships.
People of nearby villages in Rafiabad along with fruit Mandi expressed resentment over the delay and snail’s pace of work for completion of a vital bridge across Pohru Nallah that connects a large area with Sopore’s fruit mandi and Sopore.
The bridge according to the locals, connect several villages including Mazbugh, Alsafa Colony Ladoora, Achbal, Dobagh, and entire belt of Rafiabad with the Asia’s 2nd largest fruit mandi at Sopore.
“An old bridge is there in the area but that is too narrow. Only one vehicle passes at a time, leading to massive traffic jam when a number of trucks laden with fruit move towards the mandi,” the locals said, adding that the work on the bridge was started in 2013.
Notably, the bridge is being constructed by the Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC).
“The area is witnessing worst traffic jams, patients and students are suffering in particular. As fruit season is at its peak, locals of the area as well as different people from all walks of life suffer the most,” they said, adding that the snail pace of work and dilapidated condition of the roads in Mazbugh and surrounding villages itself speaks the ignorance of the authorities.
JKPCC, AEE Muhammad Ayub said that the reason behind the delay in completion of the bridge is paucity of funds, saying that lack of funds halted the work for one and half year and presently 45% work on bridge is completed.
“The work on bridge is in progress and will be hopefully completed in the month of April-May 2019 in case the funds will be released on time,” said the AEE.
Bilal Ahmad
