The residents of Pujaldi village located on the banks of the Henwal river in Chamba block have been waiting for more than 10 years for the construction of a bridge across the river. While the villagers continue to experience inconvenience, danger and even isolation during the monsoon, the Public Works Department officials at Chamba state that the procedure for construction of this bridge has been started now.
The residents of Pujaldi village in Chamba block of Tehri district face serious connectivity problems in the absence of a bridge to span the Henwal river nearby. Though the department has constructed a road supposedly for the benefit of the villagers, the absence of a bridge is diluting the intended benefit to the villagers. It is pertinent to mention here that following a public movement by the villagers demanding provision of basic facilities, the PWD constructed the construction of the Chopadiyal-Kakhawadi road up to the Henwal river in the year 2006-07 but did not facilitate construction of the much needed bridge. As a result of this, the problems being faced by the public in aspects like connectivity and transportation have remained mostly unchanged about a decade after construction of the road. The villagers state that though tree trunks have been placed to act as a makeshift bridge across the river, the difficulties are exacerbated during the rainy season when there is an increase in the flow intensity and level of water in the Henwal river. The villagers and school children have to face greater problems during the rainy season when the river is in spate. Senior Pramukh Narendra Chandra Ramola and former Gram Pradhan, Ramesh lekhwar said that the transportation and other problems being suffered by the villagers have remained unresolved due to the bridge not being constructed even after construction of the road. The authorities should ensure that the bridge is constructed as early as possible, they demanded. On being asked about the issue, the PWD Chamba executive engineer VK Saini said that in view of the problem being faced by the public, a bridge will be constructed soon across the river with the tender process for the same having been started. The construction work could probably begin from the month of March, he added.