Excelsior Correspondent
KISHTWAR, Oct 16: In a significant boost to the connectivity in Kishtwar’s Paddar area, Brigade Commander 9 Sector RR, Sunil Mishra, along with Col Arun, CO 17 RR, and other officers, inaugurated the much-needed Nai Garh motorable bridge today.
The 75-meter span bridge, constructed at a cost of Rs 10.97 crores, was opened for traffic two months ahead of schedule.
The bridge is set to benefit a wide range of travellers, particularly those heading towards the Sapphire valley in Paddar.
Sudarshan Badyal, a local resident, praised the project as an “engineering marvel.”
The construction, undertaken by the 118 RCC (GREF), overcame harsh environmental conditions to complete the project swiftly.
Linking key destinations like Karthai, Atholi, Gulabgarh, and Pangi in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district, the bridge is expected to play a crucial role in boosting connectivity and tourism in the region.
The Commander of 35 BRTF Udhampur, SK Singh, emphasized the bridge’s potential to create new employment opportunities in this remote area.
Paddar’s rich adventure tourism potential is seen as a key driver for economic growth, and the new infrastructure is expected to turn the fortunes of the region’s 3 lakh inhabitants by improving access and boosting tourism.
The project fulfils a longstanding demand of the people of Paddar, Gulabgarh and surrounding areas, resolving connectivity issues that have long plagued the region.
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