Peerzada Waseeem
Despite elapsing seven years since the foundation stone was laid by the then chief minister, the authorities have miserably failed to complete Maharajpora bridge in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, thus leaving the local residents to lurch at large.
Pertinently, the foundation stone was laid down by the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in presence of Abdul Majid Wani, the then Roads and Building (R&B) Minister on 2nd December 2013.
The bridge as the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) was being constructed at the cost of Rs 16 Crore out of which only Rs 9 Crore have been released, officials said.
However, the locals alleged that even after Rs 9 Crore has been released, the authorities concerned have failed to even complete 10 per cent of the work. “The bridge would have been a significant link between a vast population of Sopore, Bandipora and Kupwara to a dozens of villages including Nengli, Tarzova, Hygam etc besides would have provided bypass route connecting Srinagar-Baramulla highway at Hygam,” the locals said.
Junaid Bhat, a local resident said that the persons who have been tasked to supervise the work are nowhere on the ground, thus has caused inordinate delay in the completion of the bridge.
JKPCC DGM Baramulla Shabir Najar told KNO that the work on the bridge will resume soon. “The tenders for the construction on three bridges including Maharajpora via Sheer colony, Dobagh and Seer Jagir bridge will be issued soon,” he said—(KNO)