Raj-era architecture: Kono’das Bridge - misuse may cause collapse
Kono’das Bridge in Gilgit-Baltistan is in need of urgent restoration.
GILGIT:
Misuse of the monumental Kono’das Bridge may lead to its collapse.
The suspension bridge is still intact despite having been built during the British Raj. Its flawless design and architectural integrity is a testament to the prowess of engineers of that era.
Built over a period of 10 years between 1895 and 1905, the suspension bridge is still serving the region and meeting the transportation needs of thousands of people living on either side of the Gilgit River.
In view of its age, the local administration has allowed one-way traffic but orders are seldom implemented as guards tend to give in to monetary ‘pressures’ or threats. Often, loaded vehicles pass over the bridge at nights – thanks to a ‘standard sum’ received by the guard on the bridge.
The legendary William A Brown [1943–48], the commandant of the Gilgit Scouts in his book The Gilgit Rebellion 1947, the most authentic account of the region’s history, mentioned that the Kono’das Bridge was frequently used by them to visit Scout lines on the other side.
Sherbaz Ali Barcha, a local historian told The Express Tribune on Thursday that merchants and people belonging to the British elite from Srinagar used the bridge on their way to Central Asia.
“The Kono’das Bridge was the only bridge that provided access to central Asian states from here,” he said. However, during Ziaul Haq’s regime another suspension bridge was constructed near Chinar Bagh in Gilgit. The design of the bridge was so good that it withstood the fury of recent floods in which as many as 183 small and large bridges were swept away in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Another incident that brought the Kono’das Bridge in to the limelight was when two minor girls slipped from the bridge and fell into the Gilgit River.
In September 2007, a six-year-old girl and her younger sister fell into the river while crossing the bridge. A teenager, who witnessed the incident jumped after the girls and rescued them. The heroic act earned him a presidential award and a job in PIA.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2011.
Misuse of the monumental Kono’das Bridge may lead to its collapse.
The suspension bridge is still intact despite having been built during the British Raj. Its flawless design and architectural integrity is a testament to the prowess of engineers of that era.
Built over a period of 10 years between 1895 and 1905, the suspension bridge is still serving the region and meeting the transportation needs of thousands of people living on either side of the Gilgit River.
In view of its age, the local administration has allowed one-way traffic but orders are seldom implemented as guards tend to give in to monetary ‘pressures’ or threats. Often, loaded vehicles pass over the bridge at nights – thanks to a ‘standard sum’ received by the guard on the bridge.
The legendary William A Brown [1943–48], the commandant of the Gilgit Scouts in his book The Gilgit Rebellion 1947, the most authentic account of the region’s history, mentioned that the Kono’das Bridge was frequently used by them to visit Scout lines on the other side.
Sherbaz Ali Barcha, a local historian told The Express Tribune on Thursday that merchants and people belonging to the British elite from Srinagar used the bridge on their way to Central Asia.
“The Kono’das Bridge was the only bridge that provided access to central Asian states from here,” he said. However, during Ziaul Haq’s regime another suspension bridge was constructed near Chinar Bagh in Gilgit. The design of the bridge was so good that it withstood the fury of recent floods in which as many as 183 small and large bridges were swept away in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Another incident that brought the Kono’das Bridge in to the limelight was when two minor girls slipped from the bridge and fell into the Gilgit River.
In September 2007, a six-year-old girl and her younger sister fell into the river while crossing the bridge. A teenager, who witnessed the incident jumped after the girls and rescued them. The heroic act earned him a presidential award and a job in PIA.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2011.