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Kangra residents furious over neglected
bridges endangering life
by Hemant Chauhan

        Dharamshala: Devoid of any upkeep since the time they were first constructed during the British rule in the country, the bridges in Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh are posing a danger to the public in the wake of heavy rains here. The heavy rains have left over six decades old bridges in a dilapidated condition. They are a grave threat for local residents and tourists while crossing them on vehicles. There has not been any renovation work done over these bridges since the time they were constructed,. On earlier occasions too, due to heavy rains, many bridges have collapsed often leading to traffic snarls for very long hours. Moreover, due to increase in the traffic along the National Highways, the bridges have suffered lot of pressure and vehicles remained stranded. Residents blame the Public Works Department for the negligence and the prevailing condition of bridges, especially in the wake of increased traffic. "The Public Works Department has failed to move with the time. Now when the traffic has increased ten fold, the bridges are too old to bear the brunt of streaming vehicles passing over them. The recent example of the failure of Bathu Bridge shows the failure of the Public Works Department in taking cognisance of the unfortunate Bathu Bridge," said Sishu Patiyal, a local.

     According to many taxi drivers, it is due to the fear of traffic jams and getting struck at any unfamiliar place for long hours, tourists avoid the peace during the rainy season. "Due to the damage done to the main bridge, the tourists are unwilling to crossover to this place. They often complain of bad roads. We cannot cross the bridge and there is always the fear of accident," said Sonu, a taxi driver. In the first week of this month, an 86-year-old Bathu Bridge on National Highway 88, which connects the Kangra Valley to the rest of the State and the neighbouring Punjab had collapsed following incessant rains. However, officials of the State Public Works Department (PWD) assert that they are replacing the old bridges on the highway and are also identifying bridges for repair. "The government is proposing to construct new bridges in a phased manner with two lane roadways and foot paths. So that it can meet the requirement of the traffic for the future," said K K Kampani, Superintending Engineer, National Highway, Kangra region.
-Aug 28,  2006

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