Illegal mining destroys Balol Bridge in Purmandal

Crores of rupees go waste

Illegal mining destroys Balol Bridge in Purmandal

Yash Khajuria

JAMMU, Oct 12: The illegal mining of sand and Gravel from streams had taken toll of newly constructed Balol bridge on Jammu – Lakhanpur national highway near Purmandal, as the bridge collapsed within months of its inauguration.   

Project Director, National Highways Authority of India, R P Singh said that the base of almost 500-mt long bridge constructed on river suffered extensive damage due to illegal mining (lifting of sand, pebbles) near the bridge as its basement got uprooted, suffered extensive damage even after just six months after it was constructed by National Highways Authority of India.

“The Balol Bridge at Purmandal morh near Kaluchak, has suffered damage during the flash flood in the nallah and the unchecked mining activity under the bridge was the only reason for the damage. Its basement had been exposed to flood waters and it started sinking” Singh said.

The illegal and uncontrolled excavation of sand and Bajri from the beds of rivers and nullahs in Samba district of the region has been termed as the main cause behind the weakening of the basic structures of bridges on them.

Pertinent to mention here that according to the order issued by the administration regarding the ban on the mining practices “it emphasizes that no miner was allowed to excavate sand within 500 meter upstream and 300 meter downstream from the bridges on national highway including Balol nullah.

In the case of small nullahs, which had culverts on them, no excavation work was allowed within 150 meter upstream and 100 meter downstream, if any person was found violating this Government directive, stern action under law would be taken against him, the order states.

Sources said that despite this illegal mining state exchequer deficits crores of rupees every month, but due to the nexus between the officials and people associated with the trade, the illegal work is going on.

Chief Engineer, PWD (R&B), Jammu Tahseen Mustafa when contacted said that many bridges are becoming vulnerable only due to the increasing activity of illegal mining. He said this mafia has become so powerful that even now despite ban; they managed to operate even during nights and early hours. There was urgent need of implementation of the orders of the District Magistrates and for this some mechanism is needed to be devised, he opined.