Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, North Zone, Vice-President, Dr. Sajad Shafi Uri on Friday expressed dismay over dismantling of the only bridge over Nala Qazinag in Karnah Tehsil, connecting 8 hamlets to district head quarters, saying the locals are facing immense problems.
In a statement issued here, Dr. Shafi said that the bridge used to provide connectivity to the populace of the Panchayat Halqas of Bhadarkot, Ibkhote, Titwal, Gundi, Gujran, Chitrakot, and Chamkot with the Tehsil headquarters and district headquarters.
While expressing concern over the dismantling of the bridge, he said; “The bridge was built in the year 1965. However it was washed away by flash floods in the year1992. Subsequently the Army had restored the bridge; the measure had provided much needed relief to the residents of 8 Panchayat Halkas but that turned out to be short lived as Army has dismantled the bridge now. Needless to say the measure has troubled a huge chunk of population in the eight Panchayat Halqas. The settlements which the bridge used to connect to the district and Tehsil headquarters have been severed off from the rest of the district. The measure is also affecting small businesses in the area besides adding to the woes of people particularly elderly, women and students,” he said.
He said that the loss of connectivity with district and Tehsil headquarters is agonizing the affected population mentally. “The administration has turned volt face to the issue and is not taking necessary measures to provide succor to the affected people. The government has been aggressively pursuing the programme of universal road connectivity to far-flung areas. Contrarily to it the 8 villages comprising thousands of souls in the far- flung areas of Tehsil Karna have been totally cut off and deprived of the only connectivity,” he said.