It happens in Kishtwar!
jj correspondent
Jammu, Dec 21: It is height of carelessness of the department and the district administration that near about 13 years ago a bridge namely ‘Foot Suspension Bridge’ (FSB) of 50 meters length was started over Kiyar Nallah at Chicha Dachhan district Kishtwar but till date it remained incomplete with two abutments on both sides.
As per the letter of Tehsildar Dachhan, Kishtwar vide his office letter No 898/TD/GEN/2023-24 dated 07-12-2023 and his previous letter No 60/TD/GEN/2023-24 dated 07-05-2023 written to Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar that the said bridge was started about 12-13 years earlier and after raising the two abutments (pillars) on both sides, the construction work had been stopped. It is very clearly understood by a lay man that the people of the area have been facing severe problems in the absence of bridge but the administration and PW(R&B) Department remained very callous and also in deep slumber.
The people of the locality under the leadership of a renowned social activist Dilip Thakur have staged protest to get the much delayed legitimate right from the administration regarding completion of said foot bridge. Their hectic protests had awakened the eyes of the administration and after a long lull of 13 years the PW(R&B) Department has ordered for retendering vide e-NIT No. 29 of 2023-24 Dated: 21-12-2023 for the said bridge.
I tried to contact with the concerned Executive Engineer Aslam Lone but his mobile was switched off. I then talked with concerned tehsldar who said that 12 or 13 years two pillars were raised by the concerned department but after then they deserted the said bridge. I also tried to contact the DC Kishtwar but remained unsuccessful.
I then talked to concerned Superintending Engineer Er Ram pal Gupta and he said due to constraints of funds the then contractor failed to complete the bridge and he quit the construction. He further said that within six months the said bridge will be constructed as per the directions of Commissioner of the department.
It is pertinent to mention that the sitting Executive Engineer Aslam Lone remained AEE for a long period of the area in which the said bridge was supposed to be constructed.
Now the issue is that the government will fix the responsibility that who has delayed the completion of the bridge let it be Contractor or officer/officers who remained instrumental in delaying bridge construction or will remain a mute spectator.
