For last four years big controversy has been raised in various quarters about the plan of the Government to construct nearly 2 kilometers long bridge on Chenab in Khour-Pargwal area at a whooping cost of rupees 206 crores. As is the wont of our political class, great media hype is given to projects still in embryonic stage to assign the credit to themselves and their respective parties. This bridge has a strange story of controversies one after the other and also strange history of its site being changed thrice in last five years. The story of the planned bridge is a rare example of how there is either lack of planning or miss-planning in our Government particularly about sensitive projects like the one under reference.
In the first place the proposed site of the bridge whether a few kilometer upstream of downstream, is extremely sensitive because it is very close to the LoC where Pakistan is in control of three sides and the fourth side is water locked by the mighty Chenab. It is so close to the LoC segment that we have often come under fire from Pakistani forward posts. Therefore in these circumstances the first and foremost stakeholder in the planning of this bridge is the army and the local commander. Surprisingly, the planners in the R&B made their own plans without consulting the army authorities. And when their plan was scheduled to be floated, and the army came to know about it, it raised valid objections and spelt the threat scenario in case the bridge was made at the first identified site. Consequently a lot of time was wasted without any tangible result. Then the planners moved a few kilometers upstream and identified second site. While planning was going on and even the foundation stone was laid by the then Minister who represented this constituency and some spadework was done. Then appeared the devastating floods in the Chenab in September 2014 which washed away whatever little work had been done. Therefore, the second site had to be abandoned and the bridge was nowhere in sight. The entire process went on snail’s pace. The construction of the bridge in question was to be budgeted under NABARD scheme but when the bridge did not come up and there was time lapse; the funds provided under the scheme also lapsed.
All this apart, the truth is that the feasibility of the bridge at a site in the area is still a big controversy. There is no doubt that the people of the area are facing great difficulty of accessing the Tehsil headquarter in Khour for which they have to travel a distance of about 55 kilometers and in case the bridge is built this distance would be reduced to 14 or 15 kilometers. At least 1.5 lakh people are involved in reaping the benefits of the bridge if constructed.
Now, JKPCC officials have disclosed that national tenders have been floated for the 1680 meters span bridge. Three years’ time frame has been given by the State Government for the completion of this bridge from the day of commencement of work on it.
We hope that the third foundation stone to be laid for the bridge will not be shifted and the encouraging picture drawn by the authorities will become a reality. There should be no further ifs and buts about this project because the people can lose trust in the Government and that is highly undesirable.
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