STATE TIMES NEWS
POONCH: To inspect the restoration work of the damaged Sher-e-Kashmir Bridge, District Development Commissioner, Poonch, M.H Malik visited the site of the bridge and the adjoining flood affected residential areas on Saturday.
Accompanied by ACR, Shafiq Ahmed Choudhary and XEn, PWD (R&B), K.H Shah, he also inspected the construction work of new culverts on the approach road, which was washed away during September flash floods. The restoration work on SK Bridge could not be started as High Court has stayed the construction of two new spans. The DDC has asked the PWD(R&B) authorities to get the High Court stay vacated so that the strategic bridge which connects Poonch town with rest of the district is restored and opened for traffic at the earliest.
The DDC also interacted with some residents whose houses and other property have been marooned by the changed course of River Poonch and asked them to refrain from undertaking new construction saying that the marooned area is not safe for residential purpose.
Traffic on SK Bridge remained closed for more than a month before district administration installed two bailey bridges, as a temporary measure, on the river bed. However, the temporary bridge is opened only for the light vehicles.
