Pulwama, Oct Residents of the Aghanzpora area in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district are calling for the construction of a bridge over the Jhelum River to improve their connectivity with the rest of the region.
For decades, we have been advocating for a bridge at Awantipora, but our pleas have largely gone unheard, locals of Aghanzpora said while talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
Mohammad Abbas, a local resident, said their demands for a bridge near Ziyarat Shareef Awantipora have been consistently ignored. He said that politicians often visit the area seeking votes but fail to address the people’s genuine needs.
Shakeel Ahmad Dar, another resident, said crossing the Jhelum by boat is dangerous and poses risks. “It feels like the government is waiting for a tragedy like the one in Srinagar before taking action,” he said while referring to several drowning incidents in recent years.
Residents are increasingly frustrated with their isolation, as they rely on boats for transportation due to the absence of a bridge.
Despite numerous assurances from successive governments, the promised infrastructure improvements remain unfulfilled, they said.
Residents have urged higher authorities, including Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Dr Basharat Qayoom, to address this urgent issue so that the local population no longer suffers from inadequate connectivity. They hope for immediate action to finally realise their long-standing demand for a bridge
