Ganderbal, Apr 20: A new two-lane steel arch bridge has been completed in Wayil area of Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, bringing a big relief for passengers travelling on the Srinagar-Leh Highway. The bridge was opened for traffic on a trial basis on Thursday. DDC Chairperson Nuzhat Ishfaq was the chief guest of the occasion, and executive engineer R&B Tatheer Manzoor and other officers were present.

According to officials, the bridge is being opened to facilitate traffic movements, as the current single-lane steel bridge causes frequent disruptions of traffic, causing trouble for passengers. The newly constructed Wayil bridge will be open for traffic now, but after two weeks, a patch will be made for the approach road, and then transportation will be allowed.

The Wayil bridge is a unique bridge of its kind in Kashmir, constructed on an arch-truss-girder design using elements of truss bridge and arch bridge, besides using girders as the means of supporting its deck. The bridge has a span of 110 meters and a width of 10.50 meters, and it was funded by the World Bank at a cost of Rs 23.79 crores. This is a major development in the region's infrastructure.

The Border Roads Organization (BRO) built a single-lane bridge two decades ago after the old wooden bridge was damaged by a flood in 1992. The one-way bridge over Nallah Sindh near Wayil often causes traffic disruption, causing trouble for passengers travelling on the Srinagar-Leh Highway.

The construction of the Wayil bridge was a long-standing demand of the locals as it was the only link connecting Srinagar to Leh. Its completion is a significant milestone in the development of the region's infrastructure, bringing relief to the people who travel on this route.