Srinagar, Oct 17: The visitors at the Zero Bridge (wooden) Rajbagh in Srinagar on Monday expressed agony against the authorities for leaving the vital footbridge unattended.
Some visitors told Rising Kashmir that the wooden floor of the bridge has been damaged, and authorities are paying no attention to this vital place.
They said that this bridge is a hotspot for local as well as non-local visitors, and every day, thousands of people are thronging on this place. But unfortunately, no attention is being paid to the footbridge.
A senior official of the tourism department, on the request of anonymity, said the department had handed over the bridge to the R&B department some time back.
He stated that they are taking care of the same.”If there is a department’s need anywhere, they do the same,” the officer added.
Mohammad Umar, a local tourist said that he almost got into the river Jhelum when a portion of the damaged wooden floor collapsed, he was walking onto. “I was rescued by the people around with bruises on my legs,” Umar said.
Umar further said that in many places the wooden floor is damaged and there are holes in the bridge posing risk to many who visit this place. “A place that has been bragged about in almost every tourism campaign left unattended, is literally baffling.”
Pertinent to mention that a huge amount of capital was spent on the construction of this bridge by the authorities, and several jetties were built on the bridge to add to its beautification.
Every day, dozens of non-local tourists visit this place, and the damaged platforms are giving the wrong impression to the tourists, Mohammad Asif, a Kashmir University student, said.
He said that the damaged surface of this bridge can be spotted easily, which needs the immediate attention of the concerned department.
He suggested that the government should direct the concerned departments to conduct a monthly review of such locations in order to determine the status. The visitors to the bridge have urged the authorities to send a team of officials to inspect the condition of the vital bridge and urge them to restore it at the earliest.
When contacted by Chief Engineer R& B, Er. Rafiq Ahmad said he would talk to concerned officials about the future course of action.
