RAWALPINDI: The Soan River bridge, which had been closed for 45 days due to a partial collapse, is set to reopen for traffic on August 14.
The bridge connects Rawat to Kutchery Chowk and faced suspension of traffic during its repair period, with vehicles being diverted to an adjacent bridge.
A senior project official confirmed the reopening and stated that the bridge’s strength will be assessed before it resumes traffic.
The cleaning of debris and application of asphalt on potholes of the adjacent road has led to an improvement in traffic flow, the official added.
However, the reopening of the repaired portion of the bridge might not bring total relief to road users, including housing society residents, as ongoing construction work, specifically the widening of the bridge over the Soan River, remains incomplete after several years.
The bridge has been a subject of concern due to scattered debris and construction materials on the road, standing rainwater with no proper drainage, and beggars wandering around vehicles.
Recently, a traffic jam in the area led the Regional Police Officer (RPO) and the City Police Officer (CPO) of Rawalpindi to express their dissatisfaction.
Their reaction prompted authorities to clean the bridge, install asphalt on depressions, and repair potholes for a smoother traffic flow on the diverted route.
Moreover, the failure to undertake these maintenance steps before allowing two-way traffic on the bridge soon after its partial collapse on June 27 has caused inconvenience to numerous commuters.
The actions of the two police officers have spurred some improvements, with 23 traffic officials suspended for negligence and a special cell established at the CPO office to monitor traffic situations and warden presence.
Despite these actions, some traffic wardens can still be seen congregating at certain points, contributing to traffic congestion and disregarding the plight of commuters.
A working woman who commutes daily from Chaklala to DHA II expressed her frustration, citing an hour-long travel time across the Soan bridge both in the morning and evening.
She hoped that authorities, including the chief minister or prime minister, would experience the traffic distress firsthand to understand the public’s plight.
Source: DAWN
