City disconnected Swat’s vital bridge yet to be reconstructed

Bridge linking Mingora with rest of the country is yet to be rebuilt.

SWAT:

When the floods swept through Swat valley last July, they not only erased village upon village but also wiped out almost all of the valley’s infrastructure. More than 40 link bridges and hundreds of smaller ones were damaged and over half of the population was left stranded.

This includes the vital Mingora Bridge. Constructed on GT Road in 1960, the beautiful arch bridge was a reminder of the golden age of the late Wali of Swat. Unfortunately, after it was washed away on July 28, 2010, Mingora was cut off from the rest of the country.

To restore this communication line, the Pakistan Army installed a makeshift bridge soon after the floods, but only for one-way traffic: only the cars leaving Swat are allowed to use the temporary bridge. Those entering Swat have to take a detour, which takes much longer. To date, the main bridge has not been reconstructed, due to which people continue to face an array of problems.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Swat Traders Association President Abdur Rahim said, “The bridge has become a Pul-e-Serat (bridge of great danger) because it is only for one-way crossing. It has created real issues for children, for patients and for everyone. Because the temporary bridge is only for traffic leaving Mingora, the streets are always jammed with traffic on entry.”

Social activist Khalid Mahmood called the bridge “the most important bridge in the district”. He said, “How long will they continue using this makeshift bridge?”

Residents of the city noted that vehicles entering Mingora on narrow streets also regularly get into accidents, minor and major, on a daily basis. The bridge is so narrow that there is not even enough space for pedestrians. “Those on foot are forced to take much longer and inconvenient routes,” said a local resident.

A rickshaw driver in Mingora said, “Before the bridge was washed away, we would earn enough money because going to the general bus stand was just a two-minute drive. We could easily pick-up passengers heading to Mingora from there, but now we have to travel around the city, driving an additional four kilometres on the same fare.”

When the concerned authorities were approached, they refused to give comments, saying they were not allowed to talk to the press.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2011.