Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 24: Nearly a decade after floods damaged a bridge in the Baki Aker area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, the Roads and Buildings department has given a green signal for its construction.
An official in the Roads and Buildings department said that the tender process for the bridge has been completed, and work would commence after the conclusion of the Model Code of Conduct. “The bridge was previously repaired. However, recent flash floods damaged it again,” he said.
Locals have expressed concern over the prolonged construction of the bridge, which poses a threat to the lives of nearly 15,000 people from four villages who use the unsafe bridge for their daily commute. They claim that the bridge is the shortest route to essential facilities, connecting the village to the sub-district headquarters of Handwara, located on the other side of the Talri stream. “All essential facilities like schools and healthcare are on the other side of the bridge, and people currently use the unsafe bridge to reach there,” said Adil Ahmad, a local resident.
In 2014, locals said flash floods damaged a pillar of the existing bridge, suspending traffic over it for several months. They said that they approached the Roads and Buildings department, Handwara division, multiple times for its repair, as they had to take a longer route through Wadipora to reach Baki Aker. “The department repaired the old bridge but failed to construct the new one, much to the disappointment of the people. It is good news if they are starting the construction work,” locals said.
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