"The 484-meter bridge was built by 141 Drain Maintenance Coy of 49 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) of Project Chetak. The bridge costing Rs 17.89 crore excluding the approaches, consist of 16 cells of 30.25-metre length each," a Defence Ministry release said on Wednesday.
According to the release, the BRO had planned to open the Kasowal bridge in time for Vaisakhi so that the farmers could transport their harvest to the market comfortably.
"All available resources were diverted and approach work of far bank completed in a short time. On the first Monday after Vaisakhi, the bridge was opened for the farmers who transported their harvests on tractors to the market," the Ministry said.
Director General Border Roads (DGBR) Lt Gen Harpal Singh said the BRO teams did the work while taking all necessary COVID-19 precautions.
As per the release, the enclave of around 35 square kilometres had hitherto been connected via pontoon bridge of limited load capacity. "The pontoon bridge used to be dismantled every year prior to the Monsoon or else it would have got washed away in the strong currents of the river. This meant thousands of acres of fertile land across the river could not be tilled by farmers during the Monsoon."
"The local population and the Army (by virtue of the sensitivity of the enclave) required a Class 70 permanent bridge to give all-weather connectivity to the enclave. Border Roads Orgsation conceived and planned for a permanent bridge," the Defence Ministry release stated.
( With inputs from ANI )