Jahangeer Ganaie
Pulwama, Jul 01 : A sad incident at the Gudoora bridge in Pulwama has ignited widespread public anger and fresh demands for immediate intervention by authorities.
A video that surfaced recently showed a distraught woman wailing helplessly beside her ill son, who remained stuck in a severe traffic jam on the narrow bridge while en route to District Hospital Pulwama.
The footage, emotional and alarming, has become a symbol of the long-standing infrastructural crisis plaguing the National Highway 444 (NH-444), a crucial route linking Pulwama and Shopian with Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir.
“Gudoora bridge is a disaster waiting to happen. It’s so narrow that a single vehicle can barely squeeze through at a time,” Irfan Ahmad, a local resident, told KNO. “It’s not just about delays, but the lives are at risk as well. That video was painful, but it’s not the first time we have seen such a situation.”
Daily traffic jams at the bridge, especially during school and office hours have turned this stretch into a choke point.
Residents blamed the outdated, decades-old structure for the recurring bottlenecks and urged the authorities to act before more lives are endangered.
Sabreena Jan, a University student from Shopian described her daily ordeal: “Crossing that bridge during peak hours is torture. What should take minutes can stretch to half an hour. It’s hard to believe we are still relying on a single-lane bridge in 2025.”
NH-444 has grown in importance over the years, becoming the main route for commuters, transporters, and emergency services.
Locals argued that the condition of the Gudoora bridge no longer matches the strategic role of the highway.
“Pulwama and Shopian depend on this highway. If something happens at this bridge — whether it’s a patient, a fire truck, or a school bus — the consequences can be tragic,” warned Bashir Ahmad, another local.
Residents and civil society groups said that a new bridge has been sanctioned recently but they are wary of delays. They are calling for immediate and transparent execution without any hurdles.
“The video from Gudoora is more than a tragic scene. It’s a wake-up call,” said a local civil society member. “We urge the authorities to treat this as an emergency, not just another file.”
An official from the Roads and Buildings Department confirmed that the proposal for a new bridge at Gudoora has been approved. “Yes, the bridge has been sanctioned and construction is expected to commence shortly,” the official said.
He acknowledged that the old bridge is narrow while assuring the project will be executed within a set timeframe
