MIRPUR (AJK) – Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister (PM) Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq on Monday laid foundation stone of Rs 10 billion mega project of the completion of 7181 meter long Rathoa Haryam Mirpur-Islamgarh bridge over Mangla dam reservoir.
Addressing the ceremony held at the adjoining Islamgarh town, he said that with the liberal financial assistance of the government of Pakistan under the already completed Mangla dam raising project, the construction work of the Rathaua Haryam bridge completion project had been awarded to Pakistan’s well reputed Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). He underlined that the project, originally valued of Rs 17 billion, would be completed at a cost of Rs 10 billion.
Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq formally awarded the work order of construction contract to FWO officials on the occasion. Housing and Physical Planning Minister, Chaudhry Yasar Sultan, Project Director, Rathaua Haryana Bridge, Habib Mugha and others also addressed the ceremony. The prime minister asserted that practical actions, rather than false claims, were being taken by his government for the rehabilitation of Mangla Dam affectees under a broad-based program in Mirpur district of AJK. Mirpur-Islamgarh bridge over Mangla dam to bridge Mirpur city with adjoining densely populated Islamgarh town is considered to be the longest bridge over any reservoir in any country in South Asian region. A major portion of the 7181-meter long mostly RCC bridge has already been completed so far under the Mangla dam raising project with the liberal financial support of the government of Pakistan which had accorded formal approval for completion of the project allocating required funds for completion of the mega project. Unveiling the salient features of the gigantic project, the sources close to Mangla Dam Affairs told APP here that the government had allocated funds for the first phase of the 7181-meter long bridge.
The initial construction work on the project was executed after the National Economic Coordination Committee (ECNEC) of the federal government had formally approved the project. The project was targeted to be completed within three-years of stipulated period, the sources said.
The bridge will not only reduce the already-long uneven road link between Mirpur city and Islamgarh town to an unprecedented extent but would also reduce the traveling time for the commuters traveling between district headquarters of Mirpur and Kotli and between Mirpur and Dadayal sub division to a greater extent coupled with safe and comfortable traveling facilities. The construction of bridge over the picturesque Mangla dam surrounded by the lush-green hills, will open new vistas for the promotion of tourism industry not only in this district but also in other parts of the division, they added.
The process for implementation of the development package for the resettlement of the additional families of the affectees of the already completed Mangla dam raising project has been geared up under an integrated plan to ensure its completion within the stipulated time-frame by the state government. It may be added that the process of payment of compensation to the old and new Mangla dam affectees has been completed and a total of Rs 56 billion have yet been spent for resettlement and rehabilitation of the affected families of the Mangla dam raising project.
