Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Dec 20: The people of Poonch city and adjoining villages have expressed strong resentment against the delay being caused in the restoration work on Sher-e-Kashmir bridge over Poonch river.
A large number of people from BJP and other political parties besides prominent persons of the area today met the Deputy Commissioner Poonch M H Malik and conveyed their concern to the District Administration for the delay being caused in the construction/ repair work on this bridge which was damaged during floods in first week of September. They pointed out that the company had given time up to May and it will lift its material used for temporary restoration of the bridge. Therefore, its completion was must before the time limit given.
The Deputy Commissioner then accompanied by ADC, Shafiq Ahmed Choudhary, Executive Engineer R&B Poonch K H Shah and the people paid visit at the site to have on the spot re-assessment of the damaged bridge and the affected residential area. The officers had the review of the proposed work of new additional span and culverts on the approach road, which was washed away during September 4 flash floods.
The restoration work on SK Bridge could not be started as High Court stayed the construction of two new spans. The DC asked the PWD (R&B) authorities to get the Court stay vacated so that the strategic bridge which connects Poonch town with rest of the district is restored and opened for traffic at the earliest.
Mr Malik also interacted with some residents whose houses and other property has been damaged by the changed course of river Poonch and asked them to refrain from undertaking new construction. He asked that the marooned area is not safe for residential purpose.
It may be recalled that the traffic on this bridge remained closed for more than a month before the installation bailey bridge, as a temporary measure, on the river bed with the help of Army. However, the temporary bridge is opened only for the light vehicles.
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