Rampant, illegal and unscientific sand mining in the Swan riverbed has resulted in in depth hurt to critical bridge infrastructure, significantly the Algran bridge connecting Rupnagar and Hoshiarpur districts.
The Punjab authorities has admitted this earlier than the Nationwide Inexperienced Tribunal (NGT) while acknowledging that the hurt has disrupted connectivity for nearly 200 villages, forcing commuters to steal a virtually 30-km detour through adjoining areas of Himachal Pradesh.
The disclosure changed into as soon as made in an affidavit filed by the chief secretary on Might well 5 per an utility per media experiences, highlighting the deteriorating situation of bridges in the put due to unchecked mining actions in riverbed areas.
Connectivity disrupted since 2024
The Algran bridge, located on the Kamla Nangal route, has remained closed to traditional visitors for nearly two years and is aloof present process restore.
A senior officer in the Rupnagar administration mentioned the restoration work changed into as soon as formally awarded in October most nice looking year and changed into as soon as anticipated to be done by July 31 this year. “We have constructed a non eternal bridge to facilitate the trail of small autos and ease danger to residents,” the officer mentioned.
In response to paperwork annexed with the affidavit, the water sources division had constituted a four-member committee to eye the broken bridge structures at Agampur on the Anandpur Sahib-Garhshankar avenue and at Algran village. The inspection changed into as soon as applied on February 7, 2024, following instructions issued by the division.
In a dialog dated December 12, 2024, the superintending engineer of the Patiala Drainage-cum-Mining and Geology Circle educated the most foremost secretary, water sources division, that the committee had conducted a close dilemma look and submitted solutions for restore and desilting of the affected bridges.
The affidavit mentioned that vulgar and unregulated mining near the bridge sites altered the natural drift of the Swan river and weakened the foundations of the structures, leading to excessive erosion and structural wound.
Officials acknowledged that pressing restoration and strengthening measures were required to prevent extra deterioration and guarantee staunch visitors trail.
Residents along Punjab-Himachal border hit
The disruption has impacted residents residing along the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh border, with day-to-day commuters, college college students, transporters and emergency services and products forced to exhaust longer routes through Himachal Pradesh.
Native residents have many times alleged that illegal mining continues unabated no topic periodic enforcement drives by authorities. Environmental activists have furthermore raised issues over the indiscriminate extraction of sand and gravel from riverbeds, warning that such actions not most productive hurt public infrastructure but furthermore pose excessive ecological threats, including riverbank erosion, habitat destruction and groundwater depletion.
The topic remains below consideration earlier than the NGT, which is anticipated to search out out regarding the Punjab authorities’s response as properly as the remedial measures proposed for restoration of the broken infrastructure.
