Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 4: Despite the passage of nearly three years, the construction of the bridge in the Shallabugh area of district Ganderbal is yet to be completed.
Locals in the area told Excelsior that the old wooden bridge, which was in place, has been closed after it suffered damage, highlighting the importance of the under-construction bridge for connectivity.
“The new bridge is yet to be completed even though the construction work started nearly three years ago. It is crucial for connectivity; once completed, it will make travel to Srinagar and other places easier,” said Bashir Ahmad Parray, a local.
It may be noted that the locals in the area have to reach the other side of the river Jhelum daily for work purposes, which they find difficult in the absence of proper connectivity.
Another resident, Nazir Ahmad Laway, alleged that the work on the bridge has been halted, with the contractor informing them that he has pending bills with the department.
“We do not understand why it is taking so long for the authorities to complete the construction; the authorities know its importance, but despite that, the completion is taking too long,” he said.
Pertinent to mention here, the old bridge has been closed by the authorities and remains guarded by security personnel to ensure no untoward incidents occur.
On the other hand, the officials, while commenting on the delay in the construction of the bridge, stated that due to certain reasons, the work could not be completed on time. They are now aiming to ensure completion by December this year.
Er Tatheer Manzoor, Executive Engineer (R&B) Division Ganderbal, said: “The bridge was expected to be completed by August, but the work was suspended due to certain reasons; the work on the superstructure is ongoing.”
He said that there are two truss girders, one of which has been fabricated, while there is a need for the other truss girder to be fabricated.
“There is a lack of space, so we have to wait until the completed truss girder is launched; only then can we carry out the fabrication of the other one. We expect the bridge to be completed by December,” he said.
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