REASI, October 31, 2026 – Frustrated by severe connectivity hurdles, residents of the Chamiyara and Kotli areas in Reasi district’s Katra Tehsil have issued a strong appeal to the government, demanding the immediate construction of a vital bridge over the Pai Nallah.
The Pai Nallah, a water body that originates from the sacred surroundings of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, flows directly between Chamiyara and Kotli. Currently, the absence of a proper crossing over the nallah is causing daily hardships for nearly 30,000 people residing in these areas and adjoining villages, including Seri and Sirla.
Social activist, writer, and poet Abdul Quddir Kundria, echoing the grievances of the local population, highlighted the irony of the situation. He pointed out that while road networks have been successfully laid in the region with the support of the Railway authorities and the local government, the lack of a connecting bridge over the nallah renders the infrastructure incomplete, isolating the local population during critical times.
Kundria also raised a massive public safety alarm regarding an existing bridge over the Pai Nallah near Noudevyian, situated on the busy Katra-Reasi National Highway. Nearly half of this crucial structure was washed away or severely damaged during the previous monsoon season. Given the heavy volume of vehicular traffic that plies this route day and night, the damaged bridge poses a fatal threat to commuters, especially during heavy rainfall. Locals are urgently demanding that authorities repair or entirely reconstruct the Noudevyian bridge without further delay.
Advocating for a permanent infrastructural solution, Kundria emphasized that constructing a new bridge between Chamiyara and Kotli would serve a much larger, strategic public purpose.
Beyond providing seamless connectivity to 30,000 local villagers, the new bridge would act as a crucial alternative transport route between the major towns of Katra and Reasi. Should the fragile existing bridge near Noudevyian suffer further damage or the Katra-Reasi National Highway face disruptions due to landslides or torrential rains, the Chamiyara-Kotli route would ensure that the vital supply and transit lines between the two towns remain open.
Published by True Roots Media Network