Waris Fayaz
Sopore, Aug 23 : A decade later, a vital Mazbug bridge over Nallah Pohru in north Kashmir’s Sopore is awaiting completion, causing inconvenience to people.
The foundation stone of the bridge constructed by the Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JPKCC) was laid during the National Conference-Congress government in 2013.
Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Deputy General Manager (DGM) Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC), Mohammad Ayoob blamed paucity and cold response to tenders for incompletion.
He said that the bridge stands merged with the Roads and Buildings department and JKPCC as of now has no role to play.
While giving details, the official said that the agency earlier floated tenders several times to start the work, however, they got no response.
The tenders were floated as per rates of 2012, he said. “So far the agency has received the amount of 585.78 lakh out of 705 lakh for the project,” he added.
Repeated attempts to contact officials at Roads and Buildings could not materialize.
Locals said the completion of the bridge seems a dream as only promises were made to them.
“The bridge has been under construction for the past 10 years. Currently, the work on the project remains suspended and the project has already missed several deadlines”, said Arafat Ahmed, a local.
The bridge once completed is going to connect Baramulla and Rafiabad villages with Asia’s second largest Fruit Mandi in Sopore.
Though there is an old bridge constructed in the 1970s in the area, only a single vehicle can pass through it, thus causing traffic snarls.
The situation worsens when harvest season is underway as movement of trucks causes traffic jams due to single lane.
Earlier the construction of the vital bridge would be completed in April/May in 2019, however, it has been almost 4 years till then and the bridge is still incomplete—(KNO)
