Jahangeer Ganaie

Villagers of 50 hamlets suffer in absence of a bridge

Villagers of 50 hamlets suffer in absence of a bridge
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Pulwama: At least fifty villages of Southern Kashmir’s Pulwama district are facing immense hardships in absence of a vital bridge at Trichal village. The bridge was damaged in 2014 floods that hit Kashmir and lead to huge losses here.
The construction of the bridge was started years ago but is still incomplete, therefore leaving thousands of villagers to lurch at large.
In 2014 floods, a bridge at Trichal in outskirts of Pulwama town got damaged but the construction work on the bridge is still not completed even after the elapse of four years.
This vital bridge connects at least 50 villages of District Pulwama with district headquarters besides connecting industrial estate Lassipora with Pulwama town.
In absence of the bridge, people as well as the unit owners at the estate are being forced to take longer routes to reach their destinations and to transport their products to other parts.
As per locals, the bridge got damaged during 2014 flood, after which authorities under makeshift arrangement laid a small iron bridge but no arrangements were made for about four years to construct a full-fledged bridge.
However, in October last year, small iron bridge was blown apart after militants targeted an Army Casper vehicle with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in which seven Army men were injured, following which authorities started construction of new Bridge which is going on, they said.
On makeshift bridge, Light Motor Vehicle were crossing easily but after it was blown up, thousands of people mainly from Pulwama and Shopian are facing immense hardships, they said
The worst affected are patients, students and employees who are forced to take long alternative roads, most of whom are in dilapidated condition, said Zubair Ahmad, a local resident.
Locals urged concerned authorities to look into the matter and complete new Bridge at an earliest so that they can heave a sigh of relief.
An official in Road and Building department said that the work on the bridge is going on in full swing, adding that the bridge will be completed within two months.


Jahangeer Ganaie

Jahangeer Ganaie is a reporter and covers regional news and can be contacted [email protected]

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