Slow pace of Dalgate bridge construction takes toll on commuters

Srinagar, Feb 12: There seems to be no respite for commuters from traffic snarls due to slow pace of Dalgate bridge construction.

The delay in construction of the bridge is causing massive traffic jams at Dalgate, Boulevard, Khayam and Khanyar localities. The bridge connects several Downtown areas with Uptown localities.

“It has become a nightmare for commuters to move through the area during peak office hours,” said Abdul Majeed, an office goer.

The officials from the traffic department said that due to slow pace of work on the bridge, vehicles coming from Downtown take other routes instead of Badyari Crossing, which overburdens MA road. Commuters said that reaching Downtown, the city centre, or Boulevard has become a hectic task amid slow pace of bridge construction.

“A skyscraper would take less time to be completed than this bridge has already taken. We don’t understand what kind of bridge is being constructed as we suffer on a daily basis due to chronic traffic jams. Essential service vehicles are also stuck in traffic jams as the officials are sleeping on the issue,” said another commuter.

The locals said that the issue has hit them badly as they have to commute through the congested road on a daily basis. The aggrieved locals in the vicinity said as the bridge work in the area is incomplete, there are other development works ongoing, which has added to the inconvenience.

“We don’t even have the option of using any other route. As the schools will open in few weeks, traffic jams will increase which will add to the issue. There are other footpath works going on in the area and that has added to the congestion. The commuters and pedestrians are immensely suffering,” said Abdul Hamid of Dalgate.

When contacted, SE R&B, Sajad Naqib, said that the department has completed the majority of work on the project.

“The bridge will be completed by the end of April this year. We are working on the project in full swing, and once the work finishes, the bridge will be open for traffic,” Naqib said. To mention, the earlier deadline of the project was December 2023.