Will take 3 days to setup Bailey Bridge in Ramban : BRO
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Jan 14: The 270 kms long Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed for 4th successive day on Thursday and Border Roads Organization (BRO) said it would complete setting of Bailey bridge near Kela Morh in next three days to restore connectivity between the twin capital cities.
A portion of the highway sank near Kela Morh in Ramban district after a concrete retaining wall of a bridge collapsed on Sunday evening.
The bailey bridge is being launched by BRO, as an interim measure, to restore connectivity between Srinagar and Jammu.
Commanding Officer 99 RCC Vinyak Project Beacon said it will take two to three days more to setup Bailey bridge.
“Heavy vehicles carrying essential supplies can also be allowed to cross over the bridge,” he said.
He said it will provide relief to the hundreds of vehicles carrying essentials to cross into the valley.
Officials of National Highway Authority of India, the road construction and maintaining agency, had earlier said that the “Repairing by concrete filling and settling of the concrete for making it (highway) motorable may take approximately 10 days”.
Today was the 4th day of closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway.
Over 5000 vehicles, including those carrying essentials and oil tankers, remained stranded at different places on the highway.
Several thousand empty trucks, oil and gas tankers are stranded on this side of the Jawahar tunnel.
A passenger who was travelling in his car alongwith wife, two children and mother said they had to return back to Banihal after the bridge was damaged.
“However, on Monday we travelled from Banihal to Kela Morh bridge and later crossed a nallah on foot to reach other side, where vehicles were available for Ramban. Similarly other passengers from both sides also crossed the nallah on foot to reach other side before boarding vehicles for their destination. However, the passenger alleged that they were charged Rs 300 per person from Banihal to Kela Bridge. There was nobody from the administration to guide the stranded passengers,” he alleged and said only few police personnel had blocked the road from both sides of the bridge.
The historic 86-km-long Mughal road and Anantnag-Kishtwar roads remained shut since last week of December, 2020 due to accumulation of snow while the highway, the only road linking Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir has been closed for winter months.
Due to the continued closure of only road link connecting Kashmir with rest of the world, the prices of essential commodities and vegetables has gone up in Valley. (KNS)
Highway remains closed for 4th day
