4 months after quake, peace bridge reopens

On the Line of Control LoC today, the line of animosity that divides India and Pakistan melted away, as Indian soldiers relaunched the Kam...

On the Line of Control LoC today, the line of animosity that divides India and Pakistan melted away, as Indian soldiers relaunched the Kaman Aman Setu peace bridge across the LoC, under the appreciative watch of soldiers from the other side.

The Aman Setu peace bridge that connects the two parts of Kashmir was damaged in the October 8 earthquake last year. The bridge was opened last April when passengers of the first Srinagar-Muzuffarabad bus walked over it to cross the LoC.

Sixty soldiers, officers and Army engineers began their work at exactly 8.15 am today, after a meeting between senior Indian Army officers and their Pakistani counterparts on the LoC. The Pakistani side was represented by Lt Col Mukthair Ali.

Even as the work continued through the day, officers and troops from both sides continued to exchange pleasantries while on the job.

As the Indian soldiers busied themselves placing white steel frames on the abutments of the peace bridge, the Pakistani officers and soldiers looking keenly on were picking up on the technique of placing the steel bridge.

8216;8216;The Pakistani side expressed their inability to launch the bridge. After a mutual agreement between the two sides, the job of renovating the bridge was taken up by us,8217;8217; said Dharmendra Gupta,

Commanding Officer, Army Engineers.

8216;8216;The reconstruction work on the damaged bridge started last December. The entire abutment on the PoK side gave way in a landslide. One of the piers of the bridge was badly damaged. Our men have worked round the clock for two and half months to repair the bridge,8217;8217; Colonel Gupta said.

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Gupta, who attended the meeting with the Pakistani officials, said they had sought the complete details of the launch of the bridge.

8216;8216;The Pakistani officers were surprised to see our rapid pace of work,8217;8217; said Adven Pancham, a young soldier, pushing a heavy iron frame on an abutment along with five other jawans. 8220;They also inquired about the technical details involved in the construction of the bridge.8221; When asked, Adven said he was 8220;very happy to be working on the peace bridge8221;.