Work on vital Dogripora bridge going on at snail’s pace, allege locals
Awantipora: The work on a vital bridge on river Jhelum in Dogripora village of Awantipora hamlet in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district is going on at a snail’s pace due to which locals continue to face problems.
Locals from Dogripora said that the foundation of the bridge was laid in the year 2006 during PDP-Congress regime, however, since then 15 years have passed and even 50 percent of the civil works have not been completed yet.
Sajad Ahmad, a resident of Dogripora village said that over the years, many people have drowned while crossing river Jhelum through a boat in absence of a bridge.
Such accidents wouldn’t have happened had this bridge been completed on time, he said, adding that the bridge would connect dozens of villages with national highway at Pujteng Sethar and over 50 villages with Railway station Panzgam in Pulwama.
He added that project is under JKPCC and every year they hardly work for 15 to 20 days and leave it as it is.
Zubair Ahmad, another local said that they have knocked the doors of every authority in this regard but on ground nothing happened.
“We have met governors and their advisors as well who assured that it will be completed soon however, their promises like officials also proved hoax on ground,” he said.
He said that if the bridge will be completed, this will connect Tral area with Shahoora area in Pulwama and shorten the distance by several kilometers.
Locals said that due to shortage of funds it was kept in languishing projects where it got approved again last year and work has been started but since last six months not even one pillar has been completed and one main pillar is yet to completed.
They said since November water level was low and concerned authorities haven’t constructed the pillar and now water level is rising with each passing day, how they can work on it now.
“The constructing authority will have to wait till November again to construct the pillar,” the locals complained.
Locals requested higher ups to take immediate steps so that this bridge can be completed and the people can heave a sigh of relief.
Jahangeer Ganaie
