JHANG: A boat bridge over the river Jhelum near Machiana village has become operational for light and semi-heavy traffic.

It reduces the distance between Jhang and Kot Shakir by approximately 35km and fulfills the long-standing demand of the locals, especially those residing on the right bank of the river from Thatti Langar village down to Trimmu Headworks.

Machiana village is divided by the river and situated on both banks of the river Jhelum. The river enters the district near Thatti Langar and Kotla Tatar villages. It flows downstream towards Trimmu headworks and merges into the Chenab near the headworks.

There is no bridge over the river for the distance of 60km, between its entry point in the district and the headworks. The nearest bridge to upstream Trimmu headworks is the dual bridge between Khushab and Shahpur. A vast area of Athara Hazari tehsil of the district is situated on the right bank of the river, including the big villages of Bullo, Mari Shah Sakhira, Kot Shakir, Machiwal and Dosa and the residents of the area have to travel for 80km to transport their goods and do their other routine businesses at the district headquarters, Jhang.

A road bridge was sanctioned to be built near Kot Shakir in the early 1990s by the PPP government, funds were earmarked and the contract was awarded to the Frontier Works Organisation but the project was shelved after the government was dismissed.

The construction of a boat bridge, likely to remain operational for 9 to 10 months in a year, has come as a big relief to the people and shall go a long way regarding promotion of business and trade activities in the area.

Published in Dawn January 25th, 2017