The repair work at Zaina Kadal bridge has been halted as the water pipeline running across has to be relocated, creating a nuisance for the people and hurting the business in the area, reports Bilal Handoo
The heritage Zaina Kadal bridge of Kashmir, built by Sultan Zainul Abidin, also known as Budshah in year 1427, is in trouble again. It would have been obliterated if the government’s plan to demolish it had been executed, then the construction of shops threatened to steal its charm and now the chaotic repairs are taking a toll on it. The repair work on the bridge was halted as the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department raised the issue of a water pipeline running over the bridge.
“We were compelled to close down the work around a month ago as the PHE failed to relocate the water pipeline,” a low rung PHE official wishing not to be named said.
However, the higher ups in the R&B department chose not to discuss halting of the repair work.
Chief Engineer R&B, Mushtaq Ahmed Lone said, “I am not in a position to say anything on this matter because this work has been allotted to the JKPCC (Jammu Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation) and they are better people to respond,” said.
The R&B (Roads and buildings) department which has the administration over the bridge has allocated the work to JKPCC – a state government owned entity.
The JKPCC officials could not be reached for a comment.
The Executive Engineer PHE, Shafat Ahmad Qadeemi acknowledged that the work had to be halted mid way as the water pipeline over the bridge is providing water to many households across the bridge and it needs to be relocated.
“The pipeline will be relocated in ten days,” Qadeemi added.
Meanwhile, the dug up part of the bridge is creating many problems for commuters, pedestrians and the shopkeepers in the area.
The Kashmir Traders Federation Shaher-e-Khaas (KTFS), Zaina Kadal and other trade committees of adjoining markets have threatened to stage protest demonstrations in case the “government fails to complete the repairs of old Zaina Kadal bridge soon”.
According to the traders the work left midway has left the bridge unsafe for pedestrians and has affected their sales and trade badly. “This is peak season of our trade and problem like this is simply putting us into a lot of trouble,” says KTFS President, Nazir Ahmed Shah.
Shah says that they were told that repairs on the bridge will take only three months to get completed, but it is taking too much of a time.
“If this problem persists, the businesses in the area will suffer heavy losses,” the traders said.
The business in adjoining Maharaj Gunj Market is also disturbed because of the bridge closure.
“This is marriage season in Kashmir and this market remains abuzz with the trading activities during this period, but the footfall in the market and sales are on a decline due to this new problem,” said a shopkeeper from the area. The business of this historic market, traders say, was affected when PDP-led government constructed a new bridge in 2005. “The new bridge slumped our sales to a large extent and now this repairing drama is consuming our trade,” says Tanveer Bhat, a wholesale dealer in spices.
The KTFS, Zaina Kadal looks into the issues and concerns of the traders in the area. The elected representatives of the trade body allege that the concerned authorities did not take them on board while drawing up the proposal for the bridge repairing.
Some traders were critical of the “lack of communication” between the government departments concerned with the repair work.
“This is another example of departmental miscommunication here,” says a cloth merchant, Bashir Ahmad. ” Both these departments should have communicated with each other before implementing this project, but they seem to love putting common man to trouble,” he added.
Exen Qadeemi admitted that in first go, R&B and PHE couldn’t make their plans clear to each other which delayed the execution of the repair work.
The heritage bridge has also been a target of thieves who steal its prized deodar timber. The timber from the bridge has been stolen on a number of occasions, say locals.
“Some miscreants in the grab of recent protests have stolen some precious timber from the bridge and now the threat of the same is lingering on, as concerned authorities have left the bridge open, much to the joy of thieves,” says local resident Riyaz Sofi.
The Zaina Kadal Bridge is the “lifeline” of old Srinagar and is one of the oldest of the seven bridges constructed on the Jhelum River in the city. Built by Budshah, the 90-metre-long bridge provides a unique view of the old city.
Folklore has it that the bridge was meant to be “as important as life”. It was built after the king was cured from a “life-threatening” disease by a Pandit doctor.
The doctor, Shri Bhat, treated the Sultan and in return the king wanted to gift him something. Shri Bhat said he wanted a gift “as precious as life”. Impressed by his humility, the Badshah built the bridge and did other philanthropic works.
