Kaloosa (Bandipora), Dec 29: A vital bailey bridge constructed by the Army over Madhumati rivulet on the Bandipora-Sopore Road just five months ago collapsed after an overloaded truck tried to cross it on Monday evening.
 The Army constructed the bridge on war footing after the main bridge on the rivulet was washed away in July floods. Since then, this bridge was the main link between Bandipora and Sopore.
 The residents of the area said the overloaded truck damaged the bridge which was designed to bear the weight of nine tonnes. “Two iron gilders supporting the bridge have been damaged due to which the traffic has been suspended on it,” the locals said adding the traffic had now been diverted towards the makeshift road constructed alongside the dry patches of the rivulet.
 They said the army was yet to start the repairs and demanded that the plying of heavy vehicles should be stopped in future.
 Traffic on the Bandipora-Sopore road was disrupted for the last five months and after continuous protest by the people and Intervention of local MLA Nizamudin, the Army built the bridge as a temporary replacement.
 The Economic Reconstruction Agency has earmarked Rs 6 crore for the construction of main bridge over the rivulet, sources said adding it would take at least three years for the bridge completion.
 Accusing the district administration of laxity in bridge construction, Traders Federation Bandipora, Executive Member, Mushtaq Ahmed, said “the administration is not taking the construction on main bridge seriously and it is the third time that the bailey bridge got damaged.”
 “Government should gear up the construction wok as the flow of water will increase in the river in coming months,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 29 Dec 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 IST