Students in Handwara risk their lives every day in climbing a ladder to step on an incomplete bridge on their way to school.
“It involves risk of a fatal injury in case anybody falls from the ladder,” said Manzoor Ahmad Mir, a class XII student from Detipora village.
The aggrieved students on Tuesday blocked Rajwar-Handwara road demanding resumption of construction work on the vital bridge that connects three villages with Handwara town of Kupwara district.
The work of the bridge on Rajwar-Talri stream was suspended two years ago by the Roads and Buildings (R&B) department, a year after it was started.
The protesting students said they have to walk two kilometres to catch the bus at Rajwar road and reach schools in Handwara town.
“While doing so, we often reach schools late. Without exaggeration, the incomplete bridge has badly affected our studies. The authorities are doing nothing to address the problem,” said Ishfaq Ahmad Pir, a class X student from Wadipora village.
The students said that at least 40 percent work on bridge has already been completed.
“The bridge would have been complete months before had the work not been suspended. The callous attitude of authorities forced us to come to streets to raise our voice forcefully today,” said Nasim Ahmad Mir, a class X student from Bakiakar village.
The villagers are also suffering immensely due to the incomplete bridge.
“The incomplete bridge causes huge inconvenience especially in case of a medical emergency like shifting of pregnant women to Handwara hospital,” said Ghulam Hassan Bhat, a Bakiakar resident.
Earlier, flash floods washed away the bridge in November 2015 cutting off three villages – Detipora, Bakiakar and Wadipora having a population of 1000 souls – from the Handwara town.
Three temporary footbridges raised by the department near the under construction bridge during past two years were washed away by flash floods.
The students called off protests after an official from the R&B visited the spot and assured them that the work on the bridge would be started.
“Until then a temporary footbridge would be raised there to facilitate the movement of students and locals,” said Farooq Ahmad Shah, assistant executive engineer R&B.