Srinagar- The much awaited Qamarwari Bridge or the ‘Noor Jahan’ Bridge missed yet another deadline on Monday, much to the disappointment and inconvenience to the people.
The project was scheduled to be inaugurated on 19th August, according to officials.
Pertinently, last month the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Dr Bilal Mohi- Ud- Din Bhat conducted a visit to Noor Jehan Bridge Qamarwari, to look at the pace and progress of the bridge.
During his visit, he had issued strict directions to the concerned executing agency to complete the remaining work on the bridge by the end of August this year and make it functional for the convenience of the general public.
However, seeing the ground situation, the opening of the bridge seems too far. The work is nowhere near completion.
Speaking to Kashmir Observer, Chief Engineer Sajad Naqib acknowledged that the August deadline for the project has been missed and said that they had floated tenders for the remaining work and the bridge will be inaugurated soon.
“We will seek permission from the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the bridge will be thrown open in the month of September.”
The Noor Jahan Bridge project, intended to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity in the Qamarwari area, has missed multiple deadlines since its inception. The slow pace of construction has led to anger among the people, with many calling for increased accountability and transparency from the authorities.
For city dwellers and those visiting Srinagar, the ride on the ‘Cement Bridge’—the currently used bridge adjacent to the Noor Jahan Bridge—is tiring and bumpy. Commuters report that the pivotal bridge has developed potholes, which not only affect vehicular movement but also cause damage to vehicles.”
Pertinently, the Noor Jehan Bridge is spread over 127 meters and connects Noorbagh with the Qamarwari side over river Jhelum. Once completed, the bridge will lessen traffic on the already existing ‘Cement Bridge’ which over the period of time has served as an important link between Shahr-e- Khaas and other areas of North Kashmir.
The construction of the Noor Jahan Bridge started in 2011. Initially, the bridge was scheduled to be completed in the year 2014.
Later, the deadline was extended to March 2017 and then upto December 2018. In March 2022, a senior official told Kashmir Observer that it would be completed by the end of 2022; however, it missed that deadline as well.
After missing several deadlines, authorities in 2022 said the work on the much-awaited Noorbagh-Qamarwari Bridge was going to get completed by March 2023.However that promise has not been fulfilled.
Kashmir Observer has done a series of stories over a period of more than 13 years highlighting the negligent attitude of officials towards the completion of the bridge.
Throughout the passage of time since its inception, many senior officials from the R&B department, entrusted with the oversight of its construction, have retired, leaving behind a legacy of unfulfilled potential in the form of the Noor Jahan Bridge.
As the project missed the August deadline, it remains to be seen how the administration will respond to the growing public outcry and whether the pace of construction on the Noor Jahan Bridge will finally accelerate.
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