It is really a matter of grave concern that the development boom witnessed in the last few years in J&K seems to be transitory as the edifice created has started exposing the poor quality of construction raised with unnecessary haste as the concrete infrastructure at various places has been crumbling under its own weight.
J&K historically possessed civic infrastructure of best quality which was testified when the old iron bridge on river Tawi was dismantled and the engineers faced difficulty in disintegrating the pillars to pave way for the new bridge but sadly, today the bridges made with so-called ultra-modern technology have been caving in one after another as yesterday’s bridge collapse on strategic NH 44 on Sahar Khad near Kali Bari in Kathua was second big incident on this very highway as two years back in 2023, a bridge on Tarnah stream near Chadwal saw similar fate, unfortunately due to poor planning and sub-standard quality of construction.
There is still time left for the concerned stakeholders to rectify things and go for thorough audit of all the bridges on the national highway and various state highways in the Union Territory or else time is not far away when J&K will also fall in line with Bihar having record of maximum bridge-collapse incidents in last few years.
The central government should take this issue of paramount importance as a priority as feats achieved by it through construction of massive infrastructure projects including world’s highest railway bridge on river Chenab and many others will diminish as the prestigious edifice like bridges on highways will start disintegrating with such an alarming speed.
To help India propel for becoming a global economic powerhouse, the edifice thus created should be long lasting and not akin to a balloon near a thorn. It is not at all justified that a flash flood caused by heavy rainfall led to the damage of a bridge on national highway because such edifice should be made keeping in mind that the pillars will have to face gushing waters during the rainy seasons.
Some reports have been hinting as it was illegal mining that exposed the affected pillar leading to damage. This again is a lame excuse or unjustified alibi because at the first place why illegal mining is being allowed and why the design of this bridge, which is a part of a vital link, was so fragile that a handful of illegal miners can cause such a big damage to this strategically important structure?
All said and done, there is some Gorakhdhandha going on in the construction of bridges or else this would not have happened.
