Srinagar, Feb. 11: Indian Army engineers have rebuilt the peace bridge across the Line of Control that collapsed in last October’s quake.
The Aman Setu (Peace Bridge), linking the two Kashmirs will be ready for traffic in the next 72 hours.
The bridge in the north Kashmir border district of Baramulla had collapsed as a hill on the Pakistani side had caved in during the October 8 quake.
“The construction of the bridge was undertaken by us, and Pakistan Army engineers who visited the site today have commended our efforts. It will take us (the) next 72 hours to lay the floor of the bridge and throw it open,” Col D.M. Gupta, the commanding officer of the 7 Engineer Regiment told reporters at Kaman Post.
Over 80 men of the Indian Army were sweating it out today to get the bridge opened to traffic after repairing its pillars and abutments. “More than 80 personnel from the army’s Engineer Corps worked round the clock for over two months to repair the bridge. The reconstruction work continued throughout the winter even in the adverse weather conditions,” defence spokesman Lt Col V.K. Batra said.
Lt Col Mukhtar and eight officers of the Pakistan Army visited the bridge today and exchanged greetings with their Indian counterparts.
Indian and Pakistani officials have agreed to open the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road for trade and officials of the two sides are scheduled to meet by the end of next month to finalise the arrangements.
The proposed opening would give a fillip to trade in fruits and handicrafts, which are famous for their high quality in both India and Pakistan.
In the absence of a road link between Kashmir and Pakistan, the Srinagar-Jammu national highway remains the only lifeline for Kashmiri traders to ferry their merchandise to terminal markets.
In addition to providing new markets for local produce, dry fruits from Pakistan which are a favourite of the Kashmiris would also find new buyers here.
The bridge was opened on April 7 last year as part of confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan when the first Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus was flagged off.
