Srinagar- The residents of Gandbal-Batwara that witnessed a tragic boat capsizing incident in April this year, Saturday criticized the administration for its excessive delay in completing the much-needed footbridge in the area.
The locals say that construction on the Gandbal-Batwara footbridge began in 2016, but the challenge of completing such a small project appears to be beyond the capabilities of the government.
“The major tragedy that claimed the lives of eight people, including minor schoolchildren might not have occurred, had this footbridge, construction of which began eight years ago, been finished on time,” the aggrieved residents told Kashmir Observer.
They said the difficulties they have been facing over the years—seem to have less of an impact on the administration.
“The event that rocked the whole of Kashmir would never have occurred had the administration been truly serious. The government seems to have embarked on an unachievable task since this bridge has been under construction since 2016,” they added.
They went on to say that the contractor has not been making frequent site inspections and that just five to six laborers have been working on the project.
“It seems like the government wants a tragedy similar to the one that occurred on April 16 to happen again. The administration doesn’t appear to be aware of the problems we have been facing, despite the fact that this bridge will be the sole medium of connecting many locations across,” they said.
The footbridge at Gandbal-Batwara would be opened to the public by the first week of July, according to Chief Engineer Sajad Ahmad Naqeeb of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department. Nevertheless, the locals claim that these assurances mean nothing because the officials appear to be sleeping.
However, a senior official said the construction of the Gandbal footbridge is at the final stage and would be open to the public on schedule.
“We really mean it when we say that the department will open the bridge to the public by the first week of July. We would want to ask people to exercise patience as the project nears completion, the official told Kashmir Observer.
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