The construction work on the incomplete footbridge on river Jhelum between Gandbal and Batwara must be completed at the earliest. The concerned authorities say that the footbridge will be completed by June this year.
It is being hoped that the bridge is completed speedily and the latest deadline met. The construction of the bridge was started eight years back but was not completed for one reason or the other. Recently a boat ferrying school children, their family members and others from Gandbal to Batwara capsized in the river.
Six persons including a woman and her two minor sons lost their lives in the mishap. Three other persons are still missing, while a number of other persons were rescued. After the tragic mishap the concerned authorities came under severe criticism for delay in completion of the construction work.
The locals said the mishap would not have occurred and the lives not lost if the footbridge was constructed in time. They demanded that the construction work should be completed at the earliest to prevent re-occurance of such mishaps in future and to end the inconvenience being faced by them in absence of the bridge.
There is also a need to complete the construction work of other such incomplete bridges on rivers across Jammu and Kashmir. Demands are also being made by residents of a number of areas for necessary repairs of the damaged or unsafe bridges on the rivers or rivulets in their areas.
They said the bridges have been damaged due to flash floods or some other reasons. Some rivulets do not have small bridges over it and boating is not possible or available there. The demand of the people in these areas too need to be addressed.
While major thrust is being given to improve road connectivity, construction of bridges wherever required is equally important, particularly over rivers.
Crossing the rivers must not be risky. Wherever the boats are the only option then boating too should be made safe. All measures should be taken for the safety of those being ferried.