More than a year after the lone bridge across Henwal river here was destroyed in disaster, no bridge has been constructed yet to enable the residents of Timli Sera to cross this river.Due to the failure of the authorities to provide a replacement for the destroyed bridge, the villagers are forced to risk their life and limb while crossing the Henwal river. Frustrated by the continued apathy of the authorities, the villagers staged a protest demonstration here.
The protesting villagers warned that they would take to the roads in protest if the authorities failed to initiate action for providing a bridge to cross the river within a week.It is pertinent to mention here that this bridge across the Henwal river was washed away by the rising waters of the river following heavy rains last year. This resulted in severing the link facilitated by the bridge near the Timli Sera village in Chaunpa Gram Panchayat.
The destruction of the bridge also had imprisoned the villagers in their hamlet for many days. The Narendranagar sub divisional magistrate had at that time facilitated the use of electricity poles to make an alternative arrangement for enabling the people to cross the river.However, now, with the advent of the monsoon season and resulting rise in the level of water in the river, the people are forced to face considerable risk while crossing the river using a bridge made using electricity poles.
local BJP leader Bhaskar Gairola said that use of the existing arrangement to cross the bridge during the rains could result in a mishap at any given time. If the authorities fail to erect a proper a safe bridge without further delay, the villagers will once again become prisoners in their own village once the level of water in the Henwal river rises to a dangerous level.Gairola also expressed discontent at the failure of the authorities to tar the Dabrakhal-Ranichauri-Kunda motor road more than a year after it was damaged during the rains. The travelers are forced to suffer a rough journey on this road due to the large potholes here, he added.