NHA fails to start work on Ayub Bridge
PHOTO: FILE
Despite a lapse of six months, the National Highways Authority (NHA) has failed to start reconstruction of the Ayub Bridge, which was damaged during heavy rains in June.
Ayub Bridge provides the only link over River Door through the Karakoram Highway to the northern areas. After being damaged, traffic was diverted to another small bridge which was connected to the village Langra and to the periphery of Havelin City. However, the bridge is incapable of holding heavy traffic over extended periods of time.
During the month of September the NHA issued a tender of Rs25 million for the repair of the bridge.
However, six months after the issuance of the tender, no agreement has been signed with any of the contractors.
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Earlier, Speaker K-P Assembly Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani had taken up the issue with the chief minister during his visit to Abbottabad.
MNA Ali Khan Jadoon gave a briefing about the deteriorating situation of the bridge, which was connecting northern areas with the rest of the country.
Residents of Havelian, particularly the village of Langar, have demanded an immediate start to the repair work. They complained that the alternative bridge had little to no capacity to handle heavy traffic.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2021.