Waseem Ahmad
SRINAGAR, Mar 5: The construction of a bridge at Dogripora area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district is incomplete even as 10 years have passed since the work on it was started.
With an aim to connect several villages of Pulwama with Srinagar-Anantnag Highway, the construction work of a bridge over river Jhelum was started at Dogripora area in 2007.
As per locals, the construction of the bridge, the foundation stone of which was laid by then Minister for Public Works Department (PWD), Mohammad Khalil Bandh, is moving at snail’s pace.
They said the bridge if completed would benefit several villages of Pulwama including Dogripora, Reshipora, Panzgam, Shal-Taken and Nayina.
Shabir Ahmad, a resident of Dogripora said they have to face various hardships while crossing the river. “We have to travel to Awantipora or cross the river in boats to reach on National Highway. Besides, for healthcare or other necessities, we have to travel to Pulwama town,” he said
Another local, Ayad Khan told Excelsior that the construction of the bridge was stopped several times in past due to unknown reasons. “A decade has passed since the work on the bridge was started and the bridge is still incomplete. If they don’t have funds, how did they plan to construct a bridge here,” he said
An official of Jammu and Kashmir Projects Constructions Corporation (JKPCC), the executing agency, said the project was delayed due to the paucity of funds and change of schemes under which the bridge is being constructed. “Due to the scarcity of funds, the construction work came to a grinding halt for years. The construction of the bridge was initiated in 2007 under State sector. But due to the paucity of funds, the project was last year transferred to Central Road Fund (CRF) scheme and then to National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD),” he said
Deputy General Manager (DGM) Pulwama, JKPCC, Masood Gangoo said the project would have been completed but change in funding schemes for the bridge affected its work. “After the project was transferred under CRF, we sent a proposal to the authorities. But the proposal was not approved,” he said. “It was also decided by the Government that the funds for another bridge at Reshipora area will be diverted to this one. But that plan was also not executed”, he added.
Masood said the project at present costs around Rs 17 crores and the remaining amount pending for the project is Rs 13.47 crores. He added that around 40 percent of the work is complete and if funds are released the project would be completed in March 2019.
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