Neelum Bridge: A tale of silent ruin
Continuing to be a vital part of the tourist routes for decades, the historic Neelum Bridge is now in a terrible condition because of the government's negligence. Photo: Dunya News
(Dunya News) – Owing to its natural beauty and historical sites located within, Azad Kashmir has always attracted tourists from all across the country. But due to the authorities’ negligence, some of the Valley’s heritage sites are now in danger.
Adding to the beauty of River Neelum, the historical Neelum Bridge of Muzaffarabad was built by the Dogra rulers in 1931. Continuing to be a vital part of the tourist routes for decades, the historic bridge is now in a terrible condition because of the negligence suffered at the hands of the government.
Prior to the partition of the Indo-Pak subcontinent, the Neelum Bridge was the only passage that connected Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The bridge didn’t only strengthen Kashmir’s economic ties with the adjoining tribal areas, but it also played an important role in the Kashmiri’s struggle to independence back in 1947.
While the government seems to be doing nothing but making false promises, the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir, Farooq Haider Khan claims that the authorities plan to renovate the bridge in collaboration with experts who have worked on the restoration of Lahore’s historical sites.
Other than the Neelum Bridge, there are several other historical buildings and sites across Azad Kashmir that, if cared for properly, can not only be restored, but can also play an important role in helping historians with their research.
For more on this, watch a report by Dunya News below.
