Pulwama, Sep 3, KNT: The Chandrigam Bridge in Tral town of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, originally built in 1916 and reconstructed at heavy cost in recent years, has collapsed once again following torrential rains.
Locals said that despite crores of rupees having been spent on its construction, the bridge has turned into a recurrent casualty of floods and heavy water flow. It had collapsed earlier as well, but according to villagers, the Roads and Buildings Department did not carry out durable repairs, leaving the structure vulnerable.
The bridge is a vital link for dozens of villages in the Tral area, and its collapse has cut off connectivity for hundreds of families. People have expressed anger over what they describe as repeated failures of the concerned department to provide a safe and permanent solution.
📢 8,000+ readers already joined for instant Kashmir News Trust updates
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Dr Basharat Qayoom, said that the administration’s priority at present is to safeguard human lives. “My team is in the field. As far as the bridge and other infrastructure are concerned, preventive measures are being taken wherever required. Salvaging infrastructure amidst heavy water flow is being done depending upon the situation,” he stated.
The collapse has once again highlighted the vulnerability of rural infrastructure in Pulwama, with locals urging authorities to find a long-term solution to repeated structural failures.
