Collapsed bridge becomes bane for commuters

Pakistan Railways engineers have failed to repair the 115-year-old overhead bridge that had been closed to traffic after a section of the crossing bridge caved in almost a month ago.

The slow pace of repair work on the old overhead bridge — the only viable link between Rawalpindi city and Cantonment — has added to the woes of motorists and commuters alike. One embankment of the 115-year-old link bridge suddenly collapsed near Transit Camp Chowk before it was closed to all kinds of traffic. Since then, the commute between Rawalpindi city and Cantonment has been halted.

Despite the passage of four weeks, the embankment of the bridge could not be repaired. Despite the closure, commuters and motorcyclists continue to remove obstacles to pass through the precarious bridge.

Residents, commuters and traders are facing immense problems due to the closure of the overhead bridge.

An engineer told The Express Tribune that the main reason for the delay in repairing the overhead bridge was its structure as according to him, a hard-wearing iron had been used in its construction.

He said that the bridge was constructed in 1908 with such dexterity that the present-day engineers were having great difficulty in repairing it.

He said that the iron that has been used on the ridges of the bridge could not be found in Pakistan. “If we repair the bridge in a hurry, this will cave in again. Attempts are being made to find durable iron that matches the main structure of the bridge,” the engineer said.

He also said that the delay was also caused by the construction of barriers on both sides of the bridge as the administration has decided to ban the entry of heavy vehicles on the bridge.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2022.