SHANGLA: A suspension bridge connecting three union councils of Shangla with rest of the district collapsed for third time here on Saturday, forcing the people to cross the Khan Khwar by foot.

According to local people, the suspension bridge at Kerai known as Kormang Bridge collapsed soon after a loaded vehicle crossed it.

The bridge was recently rebuilt by the district government by placing steel girders after removing the wooden planks. They said that due to flow of traffic and load of the vehicles the bridge was damaged.

Afzal Khamosh, a resident of Shahtoot, said that it was a busy bridge which was being used for crossing Khan Khwar to reach Shahtoot, Kormang, Sangrai, Chichlo and other areas, but after it collapsed they had to walk to reach their destinations.

He said that each time the bridge collapsed the local people or the government repaired it temporarily which soon developed faults and became dangerous for travel.

He claimed that over a dozen people had lost their lives in this bridge collapse incidents in the past.

Akbar Khan, a driver, said that they left passengers on one side of the bridge who crossed it by foot with their goods in hands.

He said that the bridge was broken in the middle and could completely collapse and lead to an incident.

The local people said that the government should take immediate steps for construction of the bridge.

TIMBER SEIZED: The forest department seized timber from a truck at Karora forests checkpost here on Saturday, which was being smuggled to Swat from Kohistan.

Divisional forest officer Mohammad Amjad said that during search of a truck the officials recovered about 100 cubic feet of timber and arrested the driver. He said that a case had been registered against the driver.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2018