The vital fourth bridge over the Tawi in Jammu has always been in the controversy since its inception to execution and opening and during monsoon it is always on the wrong side of the controversy with portion of the bridge getting washed away from the city side. And then comes the repair schedule and timing which it always missed the deadline as the restoration work continues to move at a snail’s pace. This year also the Projects Construction Corporation – the executing agency-was wise enough to carry out the repair and restoration just few days ahead of monsoon hit the city precisely on 20th June and the same portion of it got washed away making it redundant for the season. This same portion of the approach road and embankment of the fourth bridge on the Tawi was washed away after heavy floods during September 2014. The bridge had remained closed for a month and it was thrown open for traffic only after temporary repair of the damaged portion. This is the portion which will be hosting the prestigious artificial lake for which Jammu has been clamouring for a longtime under the discrimination cry. With the last few days incessant rains not only this section of the bridge has been washed away around a dozen villages in the catchment areas have been drowned and have faced critical crop damage due to the myopic approach of the officials by diverting the Tawi waters to Nikki Tawi thus flooding these villages. It raises questions on the timing of restoration work at the start of monsoon and no doubt would give an excuse for the officials and agency to hanker for more funds but what about the farmers who have lost crops due to the flooding of Nikki Tawi? The villagers have been ruing about the damages they incur every year and Revenue Department has remained silent to the losses incurred in villages of Khandwal, Barjala, Lalyal, Nandwal, Sura Chak, Ram Bagh and Kullian Naturanpur. Conceived to benefit a former minister the bridge has become an incurable sore point for the commuters and the villages down the stream.
