Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 23: After facing controversy over construction of the skewed bridge over river Jehlum, Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation, the executing agency of the project, said that it will be completed within its stipulated time of three years, which is December 2014.
“The skew of the bridge was actually 24 per cent but it was decreased to 7 percent by increasing its width,” said a JKPCC official.
Since taking up the work, two side abetment foundations across the two banks have been completed and the work on foundation of two piers-that support the bridge-which are 24 meters deep from the river bed level is going on.
“Piers will be completed within three months. Once they are completed, it will take few months to complete the bridge and dedicate it to public. We are working on it and hopefully it will be completed within target time of three years,” said Ishtiyaq Hussain, the site engineer of JKPCC.
A top official of the agency said that Government has sanctioned an approximate amount of Rs 12.37 crore for its construction.
The 120-metre-long bridge having three spans will connect the busy Polo View road with Raj Bagh near Presentation Convent Higher Secondary School across the river and will reduce the traffic load on Abdullah bridge where long traffic jams are witnessed at the peak hours in the morning and evening.
Controversies raged over the proposal of the bridge due to its skewed design last year when Government announced its construction. It triggered a debate over its developmental benefits and environmental impact on river Jehlum. And some feared that the famous Bund will loose its glory once traffic plies on it.
The three-lane, 18 meter wide bridge will ease off the pressure from the congested roads running through the busy Lal Chowk.
JKPCC had started the construction work in May last year after a high level Government team visited the site and gave nod for its construction despite critism.
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