Locals demand construction of bridge at Mandi’s Kun Ka Tar

Dipender Manta

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Mandi, December 7

To ensure better road connectivity between Kotli and Joginder Nagar, residents have urged the state government to construct a bridge at Kun Ka Tar on the Kotli-Joginder Nagar road in Mandi district at the earliest.

Following floods in the Beas during the monsoon this year, the bridge had collapsed, hence snapping the road connectivity between Kotli and Joginder Nagar tehsils.

Collapsed during monsoon

• Following floods in the Beas during the monsoon this year, the bridge had collapsed, hence snapping the road connectivity between Kotli and Joginder Nagar tehsils
• PWD XEN BC Negi said a proposal had been sent to the Union Government under the Setu Bharatam Yojana to get approval for the reconstruction of the bridge. As soon as the department gets nod, the construction would start

Raj Kumar, a resident of Joginder Nagar, said, “Six months have passed since the bridge collapsed at Kun Ka Tar, but so far there is no hope its reconstruction. Due to the lack of road connectivity, residents of the Jogindernagar area have to travel a long distance via alternative routes to reach Kotli.”

Kushal Bhardwaj, a zila parishad member, said: “The bridge was like a lifeline connecting two tehsils. When the bridge was built, there was already an existing footbridge at Kun Ka Tar. People from the Joginder Nagar tehsil used to come to Kotli and Mandi by using this bridge. After the construction of the new bridge for traffic, successive governments did not take care of the historical bridge.”

“The new bridge was also washed away in the devastating floods during the rains. For the past six months, people of Kotli and the Tungal valley and many panchayats of Joginder Nagar are facing a lot of trouble. Hundreds of people used to cross the Beas through this bridge,” he said.

“After the collapse of the bridge, I raised the issue with the government and had demanded that the necessary process for the construction of a new structure should be started earliest. At present, keeping in mind public convenience, a Bailey bridge should be constructed for vehicular movement,” he said.

Executive Engineer BC Negi of the Public Works Department, Mandi, said: “A proposal has been sent to the Union Government under the Setu Bharatam Yojana to get approval for the reconstruction of the bridge. As soon as the department gets approval, the construction will be started.”