AJK government has inked a revised Rs 5.82 billion plan for the construction of first ever mega 2km long cable stay bridge over huge Mangla dam reservoir to link Mirpur city with adjoining thickly-populated historic Islamgarh, formerly Akaalgarh town, official sources said.
Addressing at a news conference here on Sunday AJK minister for Finance, Planning and Development Chaudhry Latif Akber said the revised plan has been moved to ECNEC institution of the government of Pakistan for formal approval.
Earlier, Rs 1.40 billion Mirpur-Islamgarh bridge project was inked and approved by the federal government but could not be kicked off within stipulated timeframe following various technical loopholes in the design of the bridge besides due to various poor policies of the previous Sardar Attique-led AJK government, the minister categorically said.
He, however, said that preliminary work for construction of the approach roads at either side of the cable stay bridge has yet to be started. The project has been revised and designed by a reputed Canadian construction firm, the minister added that Rathua-Harrayam Bridge to be first of its own kind in AJK is the part of the attractive compensation extended by the government of Pakistan in the wake of the under-construction project of the raising of the country's second biggest Mangla Dam.
Additional Chief Secretary (Development) AJK Captain Muhammad Yousaf (retd), Chief Engineer AJK PWD Chaudhry Muhammad Illayas, Project Directors Raja Muhammad Jalil and Raja Muhammad Altaf and other senior AJK government were also present on this occasion who also highlighted the salient features of the project.
The minister said that the mega bridge project was targeted to be completed by July 2012. He said that the distance between Mirpur and Islamgarh will reduce by 20 kilometre besides the reduction of the travelling time by over half an hour.
He said that since the bridge was being constructed over picturesque Mangla lake, it will open avenues for the promotion of tourism in the area since it will emerge as the strong source of attraction of the local and foreign tourists. He said that a similar bridge would also be constructed in Muzaffarabad.
The federal government will meet all expenditures for completion of the development schemes from its own special funds, the minister said. Latif Akber further said that over two kilometre long cable-stayed bridge would be first of its own kind not only in Pakistan but in entire south Asia.
The population of Mirpur city, Kotli district as well as Dadayal, Chakswari and Islamgarh will be benefited with the better travelling facilities since the bridge would reduce the travelling time between Mirpur and the said stations to greater extent.