Sohail Punjabi
Jammu, Jan 15: The restoration of traffic on Jammu-Srinagar highway in the next couple of days would be determined by the “successful” testing of the Bailey bridge that nears completion near Kela Morh in Ramban, Deputy Commissioner of the district said on Friday.
Talking to INS that Deputy Commissioner (DC), Ramban, Nazim Zai Khan said that BRO is expected to carry trial run on the Bailey bridge on Saturday afternoon. “The BRO have technical expertise to know how long the trial run has to be carried. The immediate restoration of the traffic actually depends on the successful testing of the bridge,” he said.
The highway, the only road link connecting Kashmir Valley with the outside world, remained closed for traffic on the fifth running day on Friday.
The 260-kilomter thoroughfare was closed at 6:20 p.m. on January 10 after retaining wall of key bridge collapsed suddenly.
While there is no optional carriageway available nearby, the Border Roads Organization (BRO) has almost completed the construction of a Bailey bridge to restore the traffic on the highway.
Earlier the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer BRO, Brigadier IK Jaggi inspected progress of construction work of Bailey bridge besides repair work of damaged concrete bridge, here at Kela Morh.
The Chief Engineer BRO informed that the work is in progress as per plan. “BRO has put all the resources available for completing the bridge. Work is going on at war footing as all men and machinery have been put to use. Hopefully, by tomorrow (Saturday) evening the Bailey bridge will be completed and ready for traffic,” he informed.
Meanwhile, Civil QRT Ramban, Banihal, Ramsu and other organizations are helping the pedestrians to by-pass the damaged portion at Kela Morh safely, the officials said.
