SHANGLA: Fences on both sides of a recently refurbished bridge over Khan Khwar River here have fallen into the waters, putting lives of users in danger.

The bridge, which connects union councils of Kormang, Chichlo, Shahtoot and Sangrai in Bisham tehsil with the rest of Shangla district at Kerai area, was installed about three months ago, but after one month its fences broke and fell into river.

“Earlier, it was a wooden bridge but after loss of many precious lives caused by traffic accidents on it, the locals had demanded its rebuilding. However, the district government placed steel guarders replacing the wooden planks,” Mohammad Room Malang, a nazim in Sangrai, told Dawn. However, he said after lapse of a month, the bridge again became dangerous for commuters because its fences fell into the river.

Ihsan Khan, a PTI leader from Kormang, said it was a crucial bridge because residents of many villages used it to cross the river as they had no alternative. He said after the 2010 flash floods the contractor had left the work on reconstruction of the bridge incomplete, and had yet to resume work on it. “The bridge may collapse any time because of its dilapidated condition.”

The bridge was rehabilitated three months ago

“Heavy vehicles also cross the bridge, further eroding its position,” Sardar Ali of Shahtoot village said. He urged the district government to build a concrete bridge over the river.

Shaukat Ali of Sasobay said a cousin of him died a year ago when a wooden plank fell over him, but despite that the authorities did not rebuild the bridge. He said school children also used the bridge to their schools.

When contacted, MPA Shaukat Yousafzai, said he had released funds for the bridge, but later PML-N MNA Ibadullah had claimed the federal government would approve funds for the project, but he only replaced the wooden planks with the steel guarders.

He said the funds for the bridge had been transferred for a road project in Shahtoot area, adding the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority should provide funds for reconstruction of the bridge.

BOY COMMITS SUICIDE: A young boy committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance over a domestic dispute on Wednesday.

Locals said Bilal Ahmed, 18, consumed some poisonous stuff and fell unconscious. He was taken to tehsil headquarters hospital, Bisham, wherefrom he was referred to Saidu Teaching Hospital in Swat, but he died on the way.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2018