Shivam Bakshi
Jammu, Jun 25 (NVI): The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has restored road connectivity between Gulabgarh and Machail in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district by constructing a 140-foot Bailey bridge at Chishoti, officials said on Thursday.
The bridge replaces the earlier structure that was washed away in a cloudburst on August 14, 2025, cutting off the only road link to the remote Machail region.
The newly constructed Triple Double Reinforced Bailey Bridge was virtually inaugurated by General Officer Commanding, White Knight Corps, Lt Gen P K Mishra, in the presence of Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Sunil Kumar Sharma, officials said.
According to BRO, the bridge was completed in just 12 days by the 118 Road Construction Company of the 35 Border Roads Task Force under Project Sampark.
The work involved construction of abutments, transportation of bridge components, launching of the Bailey bridge and development of approach roads in difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions, with technical support from Army engineers.
Lt Gen Mishra commended the personnel involved for completing the project within a short timeframe and said the restoration of connectivity reflected BRO’s operational readiness and commitment to infrastructure development in remote areas.
The cloudburst had severely impacted connectivity to Machail, a remote area in Kishtwar district that is also home to the revered Machail Mata Temple, which attracts more than three lakh pilgrims annually.
Officials said the timely completion of the bridge will facilitate movement ahead of the annual Machail Mata Yatra scheduled to begin next month and restore a vital socio-economic lifeline for residents of the region.
Following the 2025 cloudburst, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had announced that the Gulabgarh-Machail road would be taken over by BRO for its long-term development and maintenance. The proposal received operational approval from the Ministry of Defence in March this year, officials said.
The Gulabgarh-Machail road is part of the strategically important Kishtwar-Gulabgarh-Kundal-Machail axis and is also seen as a potential future connectivity route through the proposed Umasi La Pass linking the region with Ladakh’s Zanskar Valley.—(NVI)
