Soan Bridge closed to traffic after landslide

Illegal work on DHA, N-5 link road blamed for damage

RAWALPINDI:

Despite the restrictions put in place on all kinds of construction on the N-5 National Highway by the National Highway Authority (NHA), the ongoing construction work on a link road between the N-5 and the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in the area adjacent to the Soan Bridge and the heavy downpours triggered a landslide in the area, causing significant damage to the part of the bridge.

Following the incident, the traffic police closed the bridge for traffic coming from Rawat to Rawalpindi due to which long queues of vehicles were formed and the citizens faced immense difficulties. The traffic police, however, diverted the vehicles to alternative routes.

According to sources, the heavy rains in Rawalpindi which started from the night between Sunday and Monday and continued till morning as well as the ongoing construction work on the link road to connect DHA-I with the N-5, a part of the bridge collapsed as a result of the landslide.

The CTP while diverting the traffic also issued an advisory to the citizens informing them about the alternative routes.

Senior Traffic Officer Munir Hashmi said an alternative plan was arranged for the traffic affected due to the collapse of the bridge and the staff was also present in the field.

A senior NHA officer, on the condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune that the construction activities for the DHA’s link road near Nullah Leh and Soan Bridge on GT Road, N-5 were going on without NOC.

“In order to stop the work, the NHA had sent a regular written message to the National Disaster Management Authority and the Rawalpindi Commissioner along with the housing authority concerned, but the work was not stopped during which, due to heavy rains, water accumulated in the affected area which resulted in the landslide and consequently a part of the bridge was affected,” he explained.

The NHA officer, however, expressed hope that the work on the restoration of the bridge had already been started and would soon be completed.

On the other hand, The Express Tribune obtained a copy of the letter, sent by the NHA to the DHA headquarters on June 20, in which it has been said that the DHA’s management was carrying out construction work for a link road at different locations around the Soan Bridge and Nullah Leh on N-5.

“The contractor under your control is working on the construction of a 2-lane underpass at Leh and Soan bridges including its approach roads and a bridge over River Soan without seeking proper NOC/approval from NHA,” the contents of the letter read.

“The proposed construction will have an overwhelming impact on the structural integrity of Leh Bridge,” it added.

Similarly, it said the construction of a bridge on the Soan River will also have a “backwater impact”.

“Hydraulic impact can also affect Leh Bridge, its surroundings and the Lahore High Court building. The premature construction of slip lines can cause problems like road safety, traffic jams and accidents. If the flow of water is affected, it can be dangerous for the city of Rawalpindi,” it warned.

A DHA official told The Express Tribune that the collapsed part is the abutment of additional bridge lane on Nullah Lai built by a contractor named Arsalan Bhatti in 2017. He said that the contract was awarded by National Highway Authority (NHA), adding that the collapse of said old abutment has also affected the main bridge.

The official said that the contractor abandoned the construction midway and was blacklisted by NHA, adding that work remained suspended for almost six years. He also said that the completion of bridge has now been awarded to FWO.

He further said that construction being done by DHA is on opposite bank of Nullah Lai, far from the location of collapse and has no linkage to it.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2023.