By Ovais Gull
Srinagar: Even as the work on Soiteng-Athwajan Bridge was started in the year 2010, the authorities have utterly failed to complete the construction of Bridge till yet, thus leaving the local residents to lurch at large.
The inordinate delay in constructing the Soiteng Bridge has caused immense hardships to dozens of areas in Lasjan, who have demanded authorities to take immediate steps to complete the construction of the bridge over Jhelum, which they said is critical for their connectivity.
The locals from several areas including Soiteng, Lasjan, Padshahibagh, Athwajan, Pandrethan, Batwara, and Sonawar lamented over the government’s lackadaisical approach towards the construction of bridge.
The residents while talking to INS alleged that authorities are showing indifferent attitude towards the people of these areas. “The construction work on the bridge was started in the year 2010 and missed several deadlines so far,” the locals said.
The locals said that in the absence of the bridge, they are facing immense hardships to reach to the other side of the embankment. “The authorities have failed to fulfill their promises,” Ali Muhammad, a resident of Soiteng said.
The construction work at present is standstill, thereby causing immense hardships to the people residing in the areas. “The work was stopped many times, thereby took at least nine years of authorities to complete even a less than 50 percent of the work on the Bridge,” another local said.
The local residents appealed the higher ups to look into the matter and complete the project at an earliest so that they could heave a sigh of relief.
Deputy General Manager of Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC), Ishtiyaq Malik while talking to INS said that the construction of the bridge will be completed in May ending.
‘The work on the Bridge is apace but was stopped from past sometime due to present inclement weather conditions,” he said, adding that JKPCC has already assured the locals that the construction of the bridge will be completed soon this year, probably by May ending.
