Shopian’s Long Wait Nears End as Trenz Bridge Almost Ready After a Decade – Alfaaz – The Words

Mir Aasif

Shopian: More than a decade after the catastrophic floods of 2014 swept it away, the Trenz Bridge in South Kashmir’s Shopian district is finally nearing completion, a development that residents describe as the return of a “lifeline” long lost.

For years, the absence of this crucial bridge severed Shopian’s direct connectivity with several parts of Pulwama, dealing a heavy blow to daily commuters and fruit growers alike. With Shopian being one of Kashmir’s largest apple-producing hubs, the disruption meant higher transportation costs, delayed market access, and mounting losses in an already fragile economy.

The foundation stone for the new bridge was laid in 2016 by then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, but repeated delays, ranging from administrative bottlenecks to technical hurdles, stretched the project across the decade. It was only in the last two years, under the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department, Zainapora Division, that steady progress resumed.

Now, at an estimated cost of ₹25 crore, the 300-meter-long structure stands almost ready, with final touches underway before it is thrown open to the public. Officials confirm that the bridge will soon be fully operational.

For the people of Shopian, the bridge’s near-completion is nothing short of a collective sigh of relief. “It feels like a lost artery of our district is finally being revived. We have struggled for ten years to transport our produce and connect with markets. This moment is deeply awaited,” locals said.

Beyond the immediate convenience, the bridge symbolizes resilience and the long-awaited fulfillment of a promise. Residents, while expressing gratitude to the R&B Department, have also appealed to the government to fast-track other languishing infrastructure projects across Shopian, stressing that timely execution of such works is vital for the district’s growth and prosperity.