A Bridge of Many Hopes

People avail water transport for commuting Pulwama villages

Pulwama: Residents of dozens of villages in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district are suffering due to the lack of bridge on river Jehlum. People are helpless to cross the river using boats due to the non-existence of Patal Bagh – Marvel Bridge.

The villages affected due to the lack of Patal Bagh – Marvel Bridge include Patal Bagh, Marvel, Khadirmoo, Baji Bagh, Nehama, Kandizal, Samboora and various other villages.

People allege that despite filing enormous complaints by the residents, the concerned authorities have remained unmoved.

“We approached the authorities umpteen times for the construction of this bridge but every time we witness nothing other than fake promises” lamented, Ghulam Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Lalpora Patal Bagh. He added that crossing river by using boats is always unsafe for people but unfortunate is that in this era of technology they are compelled to cross the river through unsafe means.

Residents of nearby vicinities said that everyday people have to wait for the boats so as to cross over to the other side of the river. “Those, who take the luxury of avoiding boats, have to travel a tiring distance which is hardly a choice for the people here,” said a local, Ghulam Hassan Wani.

“The absence of a bridge to cross the river has made our daily life very difficult. Many people have been injured in their attempt to cross the river through boats,” a local woman from Marvel Village, said. She added that “we feel unsafe while crossing the river through boats as many of various untoward incidents, earlier happened there till date, which has created anxiety among women, children and old people.” Taking this fear and various other challenges people face due to absence of bridge, into consideration the necessary steps should be taken for the obligatory construction of bridge here before the happening of any unfortunate incident, she further added

According to locals, they fear for their lives when they cross the river by boats especially during night-time, rainy days and high water levels in the river.

Abdul Ahad Bhat, a resident of Patal Bagh, said that construction of bridge between Patal Bagh and Marvel is compulsory as it connects more than 10 villages with Pulwama, Srinagar and railway station contentedly. He said the villagers had hired a boatman who ferries the people across the river but sometimes in his absence it becomes difficult for people especially for women and children to cross the river.

Adding further Bhat added, in case of emergency as pregnancy like situations among women there and during accidental happenings the residents seem helpless especially during night times and at the time of high water level.

People urged upon the allied authorities to take necessary steps for the construction of a bridge so as to make their dream of crossing the river through a bridge a reality and avoid any further mishaps.