RAWALPINDI: After 48 days of extensive repair efforts, the Soan River bridge has finally been reopened for traffic, bringing relief to commuters affected by the disruption caused by a section collapse on June 26.
The incident severely impacted the travel route between Rawat and Kutchery Chowk, leading to significant inconveniences for residents and commuters.
Residents, particularly those from Defence Housing Authority, Bahria Town, and various housing societies, endured weeks of traffic-related struggles due to the ongoing repair work on the damaged section of the bridge.
The ordeal partially concluded on Independence Day as the bridge was officially reopened.
In the wake of the bridge section’s collapse, heavy traffic was rerouted to the old Airport Road starting from Rawat, while lighter traffic was directed to an adjacent bridge.
This redirection often led to prolonged travel times, with travelers encountering queues and slow-moving vehicles due to traffic congestion.
It is worth noting that the bridge’s expansion project was initiated back in 2017 and was initially slated for completion in January 2022.
However, progress has been slower than anticipated, and the project is now expected to conclude in 2024.
Furthermore, the construction was also notably hindered by monsoon-related challenges, as officials shared.
A resident living abroad, Aftab Ahmed, commented on the prolonged repair duration, noting that in other countries like Dubai or China, similar repair work takes significantly less time – usually less than a week.
During these repairs, alternative routes are typically provided to ease commuters’ journeys.
The National Highway Authority (NHA) assigned the repair contract to the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) after a previous contractor faced blacklisting due to various reasons.
Source: DAWN
