Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 30: A village in South Kashmir’s Shopian district is disconnected from the district headquarter after a foot bridge constructed by the locals got washed away for the fifth time last week since March this year due to flash floods in Ranbi Ara stream.
Locals of picturesque Heerpora Dachnu, 12 kilometers from the district headquarter, said Government never constructed a bridge in their area. The bridge constructed by locals connects Heerpora Dachnu with Krachpathri and several other villages.
“Since March this year, we constructed wooden foot bridge five times. Whenever it rains, the bridge gets washed away due to flash floods in Nallah Ranbi Ara,” a local, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, said.
Following September 2014 deluge, the rains instantly triggered flash floods in water bodies of south Kashmir particularly in Vaishaw and Ranbi Ara streams leading to washing away of bridges and diversions.
The locals of the Heerpora said that they approached concerned Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Advocate Muhammad Yousuf Bhat and Deputy Commissioner Shopian several times “but they didn’t pay any heed” to their “genuine demand”.
“In absence of bridge, our children including students suffer. They are not able to reach their destinations. Most importantly, in case of emergencies we face extreme inconvenience. Sometimes, the delay in evacuating patients can also lead to death,” the locals said.
The people of the village appealed Government to construct a motorable bridge over the Ranbi Ara for their convenience.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shopian, Ghulam Muhammad, told Excelsior that the bridge would be restored “within one or two days”. When asked whether Government has any plans to build a bridge over Ranbi Ara in Heerpora Dachan, he said: “We will soon construct a permanent bridge there.”
Follow our WhatsApp channel