Wudpora (Handwara), June 21: Residents of this frontier village are outraged at the slow pace of construction work of Wudpora bridge on nallah Pohru connecting this village with scores of other areas of Handwara and Ramhal areas.
 According to residents the work on the bridge started nearly 2-years ago but it is still in initial stages. “The 250 feet bridge over Pohru Nallah was closed for vehicular movement and later declared unsafe for pedestrians as it suffered extensive damage in 1992 floods following unprecedented rise in the water level of the Nallah,” locals said. “Since then government has failed to construct an alternative bridge subjecting a population of more than 10000 souls of Batpora, Khanpora, Neelipora, Magam, Shogpora, Sodal and Ramhal to immense hardships. They have to cover many miles to cross the Nallah from other bridges which are far off from this spot.” “Old damaged bridge was raised to ground by the R&B department in 2010 to start the work for construction of new bridge on the same spot with an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore. Till date nothing much has been done,” they said. “Though there is a boatman who takes people across the Nallah, but during heavy downpour, the boatman is not able to sail the boat across it following rise in water level. This keeps the entire area cut off from major routes including Sopore, Kupwara and Handwara.”
 Villages like Batpora, Neelipora, and Khanpora many a times remain cut off for five to six days from Vodhpora till water recedes.
 Locals said the absence of bridge was also marring the marriage prospects of those living on other side of the bridge. “The absence of a bridge has created problems for our brothers and sisters as no one accepts these,” he added.
 When contacted, Executive Engineer R&B division Handwara, Muhammad Saleem told Greater Kashmir: “We have completed one abutment of the bridge and are digging work for another one is under progress. At this time water level in the Nallh is high. The work shall be expedited up from the month of August when water level will recede. We hope bride will be completed well in its target time which has been fixed as 2013.”

(Reports compiled by Shahid Rafiq)

Lastupdate on : Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST