Peerzada Sayeed
Karnah Kupwara:Residents of Kandi village in Karnah, especially from Lohar Mohalla, Qureshi Bela, and areas around Nallah Batamoji, have raised an urgent demand for the reconstruction of the bridge over Nallah Batamoji near Old Brigade. This bridge has historically connected the community to Kandi Higher Secondary School, nearby colleges, healthcare facilities, and agricultural lands, playing a vital role in daily life and the local economy. Since India’s independence, it served as a crucial passage until devastating floods in 1992 destroyed it and claimed four lives. The Indian Army later rebuilt it under the Sadbhavana Fund, but it was again washed away in the 2014 floods.
Since then, no permanent structure has been rebuilt. Locals constructed a temporary wooden “jugadi” bridge with their own efforts, which also got swept away during recent floods. With no bridge in place, students, teachers, farmers, and senior citizens now face daily challenges. People risk their lives crossing the flooded nallah or are forced to remain cut off from their education, work, and farmland. Many respected personalities, including retired Session Judge Gh Nabi and Pahari scholar Rashid Qureshi, recall the importance of this bridge in their youth and express deep concern over the current neglect.
Residents express frustration that despite national progress like satellite launches and digital infrastructure, basic facilities like a bridge remain unaddressed in Nallah Batamoji. The people of Kandi Karnah urge the district administration and higher authorities to prioritize the bridge’s reconstruction without delay. This issue is not only about connectivity but also about dignity, survival, and the right to development for a region repeatedly hit by disasters and ignored in planning.
