MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas on Friday said he would take up the non-completionof a bridge in Mirpur with the federal government.

The centre had pledged the bridge to the local population in reward of their sacrifices for progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

“Rathoa-Haryam Bridge was a crucial project for the people of the state [AJK] under Mangla raising package but ironically it has not be completed despite the lapse of several years due to indifference and apathy of the authorities concerned and governments,” he said while inspecting the project site during his maiden visit to Mirpur after assuming the office on Monday last.

Named after two villages on its opposite sides, the bridge was included in a comprehensive three-party agreement between the federal and AJK governments andWater and Power Development Authorityto assuage the apprehensions of the population that had to undergo displacements due to the extension of Mangla dam.

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas on Friday said he would take up the

According to officials and residents, the three-km long bridge would not just reduce the travelling distance and time between the city of Mirpur and many towns on the other side of the reservoir, including the headquarters of neighbouring Kotli district, but would also become a major tourist attraction in itself after completion.

Prime Minister Ilyas was informed on the occasion that the project had hit many snags after its initiation in 2011 at an initial estimated cost of Rs4 billion which was later revised to Rs6.48 billion.

As around 160-metre stretch in the middle of the bridge was unfit for erection of piers for regular RCC (reinforced cement concrete) construction, it was decided in 2017 toconnect the centre span through a steel bridge.

However, while the approach roads to the bridge measuring four kilometres were complete by 100pc and construction work of the main bridge by around 80pc, non-construction of the 160-metre-long centre span, despite the passage of more than four years, had been holding the perceived benefits of the project at bay.

Taking strong exception to the dilly-dallying, the prime minister regretted that in spite of huge spending from the taxpayers’ money the project had been useless for the local population until the completion of the leftover work.

“We will not only take up these issues with the federal government, but also hold an inquiry to fix responsibilities for dereliction of duty,” he vowed.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2022