The much-talked-about Qamarwari-Noorbagh Bridge is still not ready—five months after officials confidently promised it would open in March this year.
Back in February, the Chief Engineer of Roads and Buildings (R&B), Central Kashmir, had assured that 95% of the work was complete and only about 20–25 days of work remained. “Bad weather had caused some delay, but the bridge will be opened by March,” he had told KINS.
Now it’s August. The bridge is still incomplete. And the people are still waiting.
The bridge, sanctioned way back in 2009, was meant to provide an alternate route between Qamarwari, Noorbagh, and adjoining areas, reducing the pressure on the heavily-used Cement Bridge and improving access to Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura.
But the project has missed one deadline after another—2014, 2017, 2018, 2023—and now 2025 is slipping away too.
“We’ve been hearing promises for 14 years,” said Mohammad Ashraf, a shopkeeper in Qamarwari. “It has become a running joke in the area. Every year, there’s a new excuse.”
The existing road infrastructure is overwhelmed, especially during peak hours. Long traffic jams are common, with even ambulances getting stuck.
“This bridge could save lives. Patients heading to SKIMS can’t afford delays,” said a local from Noorbagh. “But the authorities don’t seem to care.”
Another elderly resident added, “We have waited long enough. No one is held accountable for the delay, and the public suffers every single day.”
The continuous delays have left citizens angry and disillusioned. What was supposed to be a four-year project has now stretched into a 14-year saga with no clear end.
Local community leaders are now demanding transparency and real action. “We don’t want more timelines. We want the bridge to open—now,” said one of them.(KINS)
