Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 21: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will dedicate the first cable-stayed bridge of North India to the nation on December 24, providing close connectivity between three northern States of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
Official sources said Parrikar will reach Pathankot air base from New Delhi and then fly to Basohli at about 10 am on December 24. He will fly back to Pathankot on way to New Delhi after an hour long function.
“The cable-stayed bridge at Basohli situated on Dunera- Basohli-Bhaderwah road will be inaugurated by Parrikar on December 24,’” sources said.
The Basohli bridge will be fourth of its kind in India and first in North India and Jammu and Kashmir.
Currently India has three cable-stayed bridges – Hooghly bridge at Kolkata, Naini Bridge in Allahabad and Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link in Mumbai.
With the completion of cable-stayed bridge over river Ravi in Basohli, the connectivity and tourism is expected to get a boost.
The work on the maiden cable stay bridge of the State was started in September 2011 on the persistent demand of people of Basohli where over 22 villages got submerged in water and were evacuated to other places after the construction of Ranjit Sagar dam.
The 592-meter span bridge is being constructed by Border Roads Organization (BRO) at a cost of Rs 145 crore.
Out of 592 m, 350 m span is cable-stayed while rest is plain bridge.
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