K D Maini
Before 1947 Uri – Muzaffarabad road was known as Jhelum valley road which linked Rawalpindi to Srinagar. This road remained cutoff due to establishment of LOC between Chakothi and Uri and was closed for about 57 years. In 2003 after the ceasefire on the LOC, the situation became congenial for the confidence building measures between the two parts of Kashmir .Therefore on 6th January 2004 after SAARC conference at Islamabad President Parvez Musharraf and Atal Bihari Vajpayee decided for CBMS on the LoC to normalize the situation. After some time both the countries decided to open 55 Km Long Uri Muzaffarabad road across the Loc on the pressing demand of the public of both the parts of Kashmir .Therefore on 7th April 2005 Uri Muzaffarabad road was opened to divided families so that they could meet their relatives living on the other side of the LOC since 62 percent families of Pir Panchal region belongs to divided families category. They were the main beneficiaries of this road which was opened after 57 years . This road again linked the two parts of Pir Panchal region. Weekly bus service ply on this road regularly . The bus starts from Uri and halts near the Kaman Aman Setu bridge from where the passengers walk on foot and after crossing the bridge at zero line reach the other side of the LoC on this side of Kaman Aman Setu bridge the couplet of Iqbal. ‘ Mazhab Nahi Sakhata Apas Main Bair Rakhna’ welcomes the guests who comefrom across the LoC.
On 22 October 2008 cross LoC trade was also started via Uri Muzaffarabad and 35 trucks are crossing the LoC on this road for 4 days in a week from Monday to Thursday. About 800 traders from both the sides are engaged from both the sides in trade venture across the LoC which includes 350 from this side. Presently banana, tomato and zera is exported from this side and herbs dry date and apple is imported from the other side via Uri Muzaffarabad road. At Kaman Aman Setu bridge on the eve of Eid, Diwali and independence days of India and Pakistan sweets are exchanged by Army of both the sides.
200 miles long Jhelum valley road from Srinagar to Rawalpindi was the life line between Kashmir valley and western Punjab. The stretch of road from Rawalpindi to Kohala was looked after by the British Government while from Kohala Bridge to Srinagar it was constructed and maintained by Jammu and Kashmir Government .It was passing through an important halting station Muzaffarabad located in the outer hills of J&K State. This road had come into lime light after 1753 when Afghans captured Kashmir, and this route replaced Mughal road. Since Afghan Government of Kashmir was working under the rule of Shah of Kabul (Afghanistan), therefore the royal Afghan Carvans moved on this road frequently from Kabul to Srinagar. At that time a need of halting station was felt seriously for stay of Royal Carvans in between Kabul and Srinagar. In those days present Muzaffarabad town was known as Shankri Town ship (after the name of Lord Shanker). It was a habitation of Brahmin community. This station was also used by the Hindu pilgrims of Rawalpindi and Srinagar as halting station when they would visit Sharda Shrine located in Neelam valley. In 1644 when Raja Muzaffar Khan of Pukhi captured this village he converted it in to his Capital and named it Muzaffarabad after his name. Therefore, Afghans also converted this Township into the halting station for the movement of royal Carvans on Jhelum valley road from 1753 onward. This road also became the main link between Kashmir and Punjab. In 1857 British Government felt the need of a good road between Rawalpindi and Srinagar and requested Maharaja Ranbir Singh for construction of the same from Kohala to Srinagar. Accordingly Maharaja started construction work after getting the survey of the road by an English engineer.
It is said that a spiritual saint Salli Sarkar had identified this route from Lohar gali to Domal. This was a Kacha road in the initial stage. During the rule of Maharaja Partap Singh (1885 to 1925) Kohalan Srinagar road was mettaled. In this period a Parsi contractor Dhan Ji Bai started a Tanga company from Rawalpindi to Srinagar for the convenience of passengers. The company was named as Imperil Carrying Company. Later on Marri-Kohala-Baramulla road was improved in 1880 and the work was completed in 1890.
Jhelum Valley road was considered the finest road in mountainous areas in the whole world in those days. Before 1947 Tanga, Ekas, Motors and buses ply on this road from Rawalpindi to Srinagar. At Uri a link road leading towards Poonch was also constructed via Haji Pir Pass. Therefore, the passengers of Poonch, Rajouri, Kotli area were travelling from Poonch to Uri and then they would leave for either towards Srinagar or Muzaffarabad-Rawalpindi. At that time the contract of plying the buses on Jhelum valley road was given to N. V. Hari Ram and Brothers. A network of Dak Khanas, Telegraph offices, Hospitals and rest houses for the convenience and tourists was created alongside this road. During 1947 Nanda bus service was plying between Rawalpindi to Srinagar and Poonch to Uri.
In those days, 34 miles road from Baramulla to Srinagar was covered with Chinar trees from both sides and the road passed through the attractive plane area of Kashmir valley. An English traveller. Night wrote in his travelogue that this was one of the beautiful and finest roads of the world which remains open in all the seasons and leads towards Srinagar alongside Jhelum River. C.B. Huggal travelled Srinagar to Muzaffarabad by this road in 1878 when the work of conversion of bridle path to motor able road was in progress. The work was entrusted to a British company namely Mrs Spodding construction company. Therefore, this road was made traffic worthly for the movement of Tangas from Rawalpindi to Srinagar in between 1880 to 1890. In 1900, the widening work of this road was again contracted to Mrs Spodding Construction Company. After few years this road was made motrable. In 1940, the construction of Railway line alongside Jhelum valley road was also approved and sponsored to Mrs Spodding Construction Company. However before the work on ground started, India was divided into two parts in 1947 and the railway line could not be constructed. The Jhelum valley road also stopped due to turmoil 1947.
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