BANDIPORA, NOVEMBER 18: Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Indu Kanwal Chib, ordered the immediate closure of the Nanainara Sumbal Bridge on the Srinagar-Bandipora Road due to structural instability and public safety hazards.
The decision followed a structural safety audit conducted by the Public Works Department with Design Inspection and Quality Control (DIQC), which revealed the bridge is in a critical condition with repeated complaints regarding damage. The continued use of the bridge was deemed to pose an imminent and unacceptable threat to public safety and life.
The District Administration directed the immediate closure of the bridge to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The Senior Superintendent of Police Bandipora, Senior Superintendent of Police Traffic Rural, and Executive Engineer R&B Sumbal have been tasked with ensuring strict enforcement of the closure.
All Heavy Motor vehicles be it up or down, are advised to use alternate road Safapora -Manasbal- Barsoo road or vice versa (Ganderbal road).
Similarly, for light motor vehicles, the up traffic from Sumbal to Bandipora, route shall be via Sumbal- Naninara (Alternate link) Safapora. For light motor vehicles the down traffic from Bandipora to Sumbal, route shall be via Safapora- Manasbal- Barsoo ( Ganderbal road).
The order remains in effect until the bridge’s structural safety is assessed and certified stable by the competent authorities.
