Two months on, closed bridge over railway track awaits repairs.

RAWALPINDI -- Despite the passage of more than two months, an over 150-year-old bridge and main connection between Rawalpindi city and cantonment areas at Transit Camp is still closed due to the indifferent attitude of Pakistan Railways (PR), Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) and the district administration.

PR's Rawalpindi division closed the dilapidated bridge over its main track between Rawalpindi and Peshawar after the district administration and the cantonment authorities failed to repair it. The bridge was declared dangerous by railway authorities in September after its dyke wall collapsed.

Railway authorities placed barricades on both sides of the bridge. Due to closer of the bridge, people have been facing hardship and commuters have to take a long detour to enter the cantonment areas, especially Peshawar Road.

PR's Divisional Superintendent Inamullah told Dawn that there was no plan to open the bridge as it can cause any accident.

Pakistan Railways, RCB and district admin officials pass the buck to each other

He said the railway administration closed the bridge for all types of traffic. In the meantime, he said, they had sent letters to the commissioner and cantonment executive officer to repair the bridge but received no response.

He said that the bridge was over the main track and if it collapses all the train traffic between Karachi and Peshawar would be disturbed. Apart from this, he said the railways did not want any loss of human life.

He said that the repair of bridge was the responsibility of the civic authorities as it was being used for general...