Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Oct 5: Thirteen years after it was sanctioned by the authorities, a vital bridge on Srinagar outskirts is awaiting completion, raising questions on the executing agency.
The 120 meter long bridge in Pandrethan area of Srinagar was sanctioned in 2009 and the work was handed to Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (KPCC) and the work on it was started in 2012.
An official said that the bridge was aimed to connect Lasjan-Soibugh and its adjacent areas to the old national highway, besides providing an easy alternative to Pampore residents to reach Pulwama.
Locals from Lasjan said that no work has been done on the bridge in the last several years and the bridge is nowhere near completion.
Irshad Ahmad, a resident of Padshahi Bagh Srinagar said that if the bridge is completed, it will give easy access to thousands of residents to reach the old national highway thereby saving their time and money.
He said people of the area have no option than to take long routes in order to reach Srinagar and other parts in absence of the bridge.
Locals said that in case of emergencies, they suffer more as they have to take long routes.
They said that around 75 percent work has been already done but due to unknown reasons it has been left abandoned now.
They said that the issue has been brought in notice of higher ups time and again but the situation on ground hasn’t changed.
They requested concerned higher ups to look into the matter at an earliest and complete this bridge so that they can heave a sigh of relief.
