Historic Dhoke Ratta Bridge faces collapse

The historical Dhoke Ratta Bridge, also known as the Red Light Area Bridge, built 134 years ago over Nullah Leh at the junction of Rawalpindi city and cantonment, has become dangerously dilapidated due to the lack of maintenance and safety measures.

Constructed by the British Army in 1890, this bridge was intended to connect the city and the cantonment. The British Army, after occupying Rawalpindi in 1849 and establishing the Northern Command in 1851, made Rawalpindi Cantt its headquarters.

The bridge is a historical masterpiece made of precious wood and iron. Despite its age, its sturdy structure and special wood have kept it standing. The majesty of this bridge can still be felt by those who stand next to it.

Initially, the people of Rawalpindi and the cantonment used the bridge to travel to Pirwadhai, Islamabad, and Golra Sharif. The foundation of the bridge comprises four giant pillars built on the bed of Nullah Leh. Despite being over a century old, these foundations remain strong and durable. A wooden bridge was built atop these pillars.

During the British era, professional women from Lahore's Hira Mandi settled around this bridge, attracting British officers, officials, and employees. This association earned the bridge the derogatory nickname "Chaklay Wala Pul" among the residents of Rawalpindi, a name that persists to this day. Consequently, the local gentry avoided the area, considering it an insult to even pass by.

Adjacent to the bridge were military barracks, military quarters, and railway quarters in the Dhok Rata and Westridge areas.

The bridge served to connect these quarters to the city. In 1960, the Governor of West Pakistan, Amir Muhammad Khan, banned the sex market near the bridge, causing the women to disperse to residential areas or return to Lahore. The bridge area then became a residence for the poorest population.

In 1976, during Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's era, a large two-way concrete bridge was constructed next to it, diverting traffic away from the wooden bridge. Small vendors such as motor mechanics, spectacle makers, barbers, and cobblers began setting up around the historic wooden bridge. Though it still accommodates bikes and small vehicles, thieves and woodworkers have stolen much of its valuable timber.

The bridge now shakes and is on the brink of destruction. Despite its historical significance, no action has been taken by the archaeology department, municipal corporation, or district administration to protect and restore the bridge. After the concrete bridge was built in 1976, the district administration ordered the archaeology department to take over the bridge's management and maintenance, but nothing has been done to date.

The bridge has been left to its fate, vulnerable to landslides, torrential rains, floods, or earthquakes.

Given its width and strength, the bridge has the potential to support a new alternative road from the area to Pirwadhai. The bridge stands 40 feet high and stretches 410 feet long. It has five to six feet high side walls made of wood on both sides to protect pedestrians.

During heavy rains and floods in Nullah Leh, many citizens gather on the bridge to observe the floodwaters.

Fareed Ahmed, a 78-year-old motor mechanic who has worked near the bridge for 41 years, lamented the state of the bridge. He recounted witnessing several instances of wood theft. He fears that if no one takes responsibility for the bridge, its destruction is inevitable. According to him, every department considers this historical bridge a burden.