DIR: A flood-damaged bridge that connected more than nine villages in Barawal locality was reconstructed after seven years. The villagers had to take a longer route to reach home as the bridge was washed away by floods in 2010. The bridge was reconstructed by the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP). SRSP Regional Programme Manager Noor Ajab Khan said they had constructed the bridge at the demand of the tehsil nazim of Barawal and the local people. He said the length of the bridge was extended from 200 to 600 feet. He added the bridge was reconstructed with the financial assistance of the European Union under its ‘Peace project’ at a cost of Rs8.037 million in eight months. Noor Ajab said though the bridge would soon be formally inaugurated, it had been opened to facilitate the people. The residents of the Barawal said that they were very happy after the reconstruction of the bridge. “We had difficulty in accessing our homes. Our children couldn’t go to Madrasas and schools at the other side of the river,” a villager said. The villagers said the government and elected representatives didn’t bother to repair the damaged bridge to mitigate their sufferings. “We had lost hopes as our repeated pleas fell on a deaf ear,” another villager said, adding they had to take a longer route to get home. The residents said that 4,000 to 5,000 dwellers of the 10 villages were using the bridge. They said the women, children and patients were facing difficulties whenever they had to go to other side of the river. Muhammad Idrees, a resident of Barawal, said that the residents belonging to Chinda Kot, Medan Khwar, Guli Derai, Dela Kal, Zoormandai, Sobat Khwar, Shahkat Khwar and Shahi Zoormandai used the bridge to cross the river. He lauded the SRSP for reconstructing the bridge and said the local elected representatives had turned a blind eye to the miseries of the people. Tariqullah, another resident, said that the villagers thanked the SRSP for reconstructing the bridge. He said the residents had heaved a sigh of relief after the bridge was rebuilt.
