Even after passing of around seven years, the streets lights installed on Kaloosa Bridge in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district are yet to be made functional.According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the street lights were installed in the year 2013 when the bridge was inaugurated and thrown open for public movement by then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, they are yet to be made functional.Locals said that since the bridge was completed and thrown open for public movement, the lights were never made functional speaking volumes about the lackadaisical approach of the concerned authorities. “First of all, it took five years to complete the bridge as its construction was started in July 2008 and was completed in November 2013 only after locals would protest on a daily basis. Later, when the bridge was completed 10 street lights were installed on the bridge on both sides but unfortunately, they were never put to use,” said Mohammad Altaf, a local resident. The locals said that the district administration has failed to put to use these street lights even after being apprised by them several times.
“We have apprised the concerned deputy commissioners and other concerned officials from time to time all these years but they have failed to make these street lights functional,” they said.They said that the Kaloosa Bridge falls within the municipal limits of Bandipora town and is located just one kilometer away from district headquarters but till date, no official has even bothered to check whether these street lights are functional.“The construction of 25x4 meter span RCC bridge over Madhumati Nallah was started in July 2008 and was completed in November 2013 by the J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency at cost of over 4 crores and after its completion JKPCC installed 10 street lights on either sides, spending lakhs of rupees. But till date the lights have never been made functional,” said an official. Kaloosa Bridge over Madhumati Nallah is one of the longest bridges in the district and is a vital link as it connects Bandipora with Sopore, Baramulla and Kupwara areas of north Kashmir.The locals alleged that the streets lights have been rendered useless due to the inefficiency of district administration after spending lakhs of funds. A senior official of the district said that he would look into the matter—(KNO)