Bandipora’s much-awaited Jhelum footbridge mired in paperwork

Bandipora, Aug 07: A footbridge designated under the priority category over River Jhelum in Hajin village of north Kashmir's Bandipora district awaits administrative accord despite the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and repeated communications to the higher-ups.

If constructed, the Tundpora- Hakbara Bridge would ease a lot of strain on several villagers living on either side of River Jhelum who rely on boats to cross the river daily.

Official communications accessed by Greater Kashmir reveal the first representation for the construction of the footbridge was made in August 2023.

The then chief engineer of R&B had shot a communication requesting an accord of “administrative approval” from the Principal Secretary along with a DPR for the bridge’s construction near the mini secretariat amounting to Rs 1062.28 lakh.

The Chief Engineer had requested the DPR for the 240-meter footbridge “may kindly be forwarded to NABARD authorities for accord of sanction and release of funds”.

“We have been waiting for years for the bridge to be constructed,” Ghulam Hassan Lone, a local villager from Hakabara said.

He said that the bridge would have benefited several villagers but despite repeated promises from the politicians, nothing had happened so far.

The villagers said that they frequently cross the river by boat for work while several government offices were also located on the other side.

They said scores of children have to cross the river to go to school daily, which creates a lot of anxiety among the parents.

“The demand for the construction of footbridge is being made again now but despite assurances, nothing seems to move forward,” another local said.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Bandipora, Shakeel-ul Rahman in a communiqué to the Secretary of the Public Works Department (PWD) in July had enclosed a fresh list of prioritised NABARD projects concerning the district where the Tundpora-Hakbara Bridge also got mentioned.

The letter requested that these projects may be taken up for execution on priority.

A local official said that over the years they had requested the accord for the footbridge in several programmes and projects.

More recently, it was requested under the NABARD but the sanction has not been granted yet.