Srinagar: Authorities have almost completed work on the old bridge at Ramban on Srinagar-Jammu highway which suffered massive damages after its retaining wall collapsed last month.
Accordingly, vehicular traffic on the highway is expected to pass through the bridge from today.
An official told Kashmir Reader that the retaining wall of the bridge has been successfully constructed and only the filling work on its surface was to be done, which would take some hours.
He said the traffic was expected to resume through the highway on Saturday afternoon.
“The retaining wall has been successfully completed and only the filing work of its outer surface is to be done on which the vehicles will ply. This process will take some hours, and it looks like the traffic will be resumed through the old bridge by tomorrow afternoon,” said the official.
He added that the bailey bridge has been dismantled completely and its material was being taken off from the site to pave the way for the vehicular movement through the old bridge. Pertinently, the bailey-bridge was launched over the old-bridge as an alternative to facilitate the traffic movement on a temporary basis.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban Massarat Ul Islam told Kashmir Reader that the old bridge near Kela Morh in Ramban was almost complete and only a little work was to be done before it could be thrown open for the vehicular movement.
“I visited the spot today morning and was briefed by the officials supervising the construction of the bridge. The bailey bridge has been demobilised and the entire focus has shifted to the restoration of vehicular movement through the old bridge. “We’ve almost completed the bridge as the retaining wall which collapsed earlier stands erected again. Only a little work of piling and other important requirements is yet to be done and for that the work is going on,” he said.
An official handout of traffic police said on Friday that the decision about the vehicular movement on the highway will be taken on Saturday morning after taking an assessment of the situation.
“In view of dismantling of Bailey bridge and restoration of vehicular traffic via old bridge at Kela Morh Ramban. Decision regarding the vehicular movement on Jammu-Srinagar NHW shall be taken tomorrow morning after assessing the situation,” it said.
Meanwhile, mercury has significantly increased during day as well as night.
According to the weather officials, Srinagar city recorded a maximum of 15.1 degree Celsius, over five notches above the normal in the current season. The minimum temperatures in the city were recorded at minus 0.6 degree Celsius against minus 0.4 degree Celsius on the previous night.
Qazigund witnessed 13.5 degree Celsius of day-temperatures, which was over four notches above the normal. The night-temperatures stood at a low of minus 3.0 degree Celsius, up from minus 4.6 degree Celsius on the earlier night. Its neighbouring, Kokernag recorded 11.8 degree Celsius of maximum temperature making it over four notches above the normal with minimum temperatures standing at minus 1.1 degree Celsius, against minus 1.5 degree Celsius a night before.
The famous ski-resort Gulmarg experienced 6.6 degree Celsius of day temperature, showing the deviation of over five notches than the normal. Interestingly, the night-temperatures too remained lower than several other places of the valley as the mercury settled at a low of minus 2.4 degree Celsius, against minus 4.2 degree Celsius on the previous night.
Pahalgam recorded 12.0 degree Celsius of maximum temperatures, showing an increase of nearly six notches above the normal. The minimum temperature, however, stood at a low of minus 4.6 degree Celsius which was the lowest night-temperature recorded across Kashmir valley on Friday.
Kupwara in north Kashmir remained the warmest place after recording 17.3 degree Celsius of maximum temperature even as the minimum temperatures stood at minus 2.3 degree Celsius, slightly lower than the previous night’s 2.0 degree Celsius.
Due to the increase in day temperatures, people of Kashmir valley have been witnessing a relief from intense cold since the past couple of days. Since the second week of February, a bright sunshine has been greeting people in the mornings and later in the day.
MeT has predicted dry weather in the Valley till next weekend.
Kela Morh bridge on Sgr-Jmu highway likely to be thrown open for traffic today
