UPPER DIR: People of Barkand Usheri Darra area of Upper Dir district have been cut off from other parts of the district after the suspension bridge collapsed during the recent snowfall.

Local people said that the bridge was built about a year ago, but it could not bear burden of the heavy snow and broke down.

Residents of more than three villages would use the bridge daily. They alleged that a low cost and substandard material had been used in construction of the bridge.

They said that the people had been facing difficulties owing to the broken bridge as they were virtually cut off from other areas of the Usheri valley and district.

They said that the local people were now compelled to go through the stream to reach other areas.

They said that women, children and patients faced problems while crossing through cold water of the stream. They said that they were using the stream route in case of extreme necessity otherwise they had been restricted to their own area.

They asked how their children would go to schools across the stream if the bridge was not rebuilt on emergency basis.

They demanded of the government to order immediate reconstruction of the bridge.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2020