Sir,
Basohli is situated at the western bank of the famous river Ravi. Owing to its geographic position, it is situated in the vicinity of states of Punjab and Himachal Pardesh and is called the confluence of three states. Every family of the town have got its relations in Punjab and Himachal Pardesh. In the past there were only two means of crossing the river, the inflated fleeced skin of buffaloes called ‘Drein'( in the local dialect) during the summer or the boats in the winter. Crossing the river Ravi by the inflated skins during the summer was more vulnerable than crossing by boat in the winter. The bridge over river Ravi has been the long standing demand of the Basohlites and that of the adjacent states of Punjab and Himachal Pardesh because the people from these states used to visit markets of Basohli for shopping of grocery, ornaments, and for health purposes. Due to the heavy rush of the people, crossing the river through these means always fell short. The demand for the bridge over Ravi dates back when His Highness Yuv Raj Karan Sing paid his first visit to Basohli in the year 1957. In order to solve the long standing genuine demand of the large section of the people living on both sides of the river, the Jammu and Kashmir Government sanctioned one ropeway which catered to the need of the people to some extent but after the submerging of the site of the ropeway in the RSD the people were again deprived of the only available facility.
In the days of acute distress and helplessness Atal BehariVajpai the then Prime Minister of India in the NDA Government proved a succor for the marooned people of the affected states and sanctioned a cable stayed bridge over River Ravi which is unique in terms of design and technology in the world and is third of its kind in the country. The people are indebted for the boon granted by the former Prime Minister for the stranded people who were separated from one another due to RSD like wall of Berlin.
The long awaited bridge over river Ravi is nearing its completion probably up to ending November 2015. The people of Basohli as well as of the neighboring states, in order to express gratitude to Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his invaluable and timely help suggest the Indian government to give Atal Setoo name to the Ravi bridgewhich will keep the name of Mr Vajpayee alive in the hearts of the people forever.
Yours etc….
Shiv Kumar Padha
Basohli
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