Restoration of historical bridge in Jammu and Kashmir starts

Srinagar, July 18 (ANI): Aiming to improve communication links of the tourists and locals, the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have begun restoration work on the historical 'Ashai Bagh Bridge' situated over the famous Nigeen and Dal Lake.

However, two decades ago, the militants destroyed the bridge and since then only a part of the bridge had been restored.

With only one way of the bridge being functional, it often leads to traffic jams, keeping the tourists and locals stranded for long.

Taking these hardships into account, the Jammu and Kashmir Government finally decided to reconstruct the Ashai Bagh Bridge.

The authorities here said the bridge would be open for road users over the next three to four days as the macadamization of the road is almost complete.

"It is a very important bridge as it connects to Hazratbal Shrine, Shalimar Bagh, Zakura, Lal Bazar, Elahi Bagh, and all the major destinations and because of which there is a lot of traffic jam," said Parvez Ahmad, Junior Engineer with the Roads and Buildings Department, Jammu and Kashmir.

"We want that there should be no traffic disturbance here. We hope that with God's Grace we will complete this by the end of this season," he added.

Once the bridge becomes operational, it will enable the students of the state-run Kashmir University and colleges like National Institute of Technology to commute sans any hassles.

By contending it was long over due, the locals hailed the Government's imitation to restore the bridge.

"There was a great demand for restoration as we were seeing it in this condition for the past 10 to 20 years. But no work was happening here. However, the work has started finally now on this bridge. The engineers told us some important departments are associated with this road like Kashmir University, National Institute of Technology," said Abdul Hameed, a local.

"Along with this there is a very famous Nigeen lake situated here. So, it was very essential from the tourism perspective as well and we appreciate the work being done here," he added.

The bridge has been named after Khwaja Ghulam Ahmad Ashai, who was a renowned bureaucrat in Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)