Kathua: After a gap of five months, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday reopened entry to the Atal Setu bridge at Basholi, Kathua district. This is the second entry corridor to the bridge which was closed after the imposition of lockdown due to coronavirus.
The first entry was from Lakhanpur town of the Union Territory.
Atal Setu bridge is situated on Dunera village in Pathankot district to Basohli road in the Union Territory. The bridge was built to improve connectivity between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
Locals of Basholi say they are happy with the opening of Atal Setu bridge which was a long pending demand as it connects them to the people across the bridge in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
Sanjiv Vaid, a local said, “We are grateful to the Jammu and Kashmir administration as they have reopened this bridge after our demand. This bridge will help us connect to other states.”
Deputy Commissioner Kathua OP Bhagat told reporters that Atal Setu bridge was closed after imposition of lockdown due to coronavirus in the month of March this year.
Bhagat said, “The bridge has been reopened after reviewing the situation. Authorities have reopened the bridge for vehicular movement giving Jammu and Kashmir a second entry corridor as earlier only Lakhanpur in Kathua was the entry corridor in Jammu and Kashmir.
“All the standard operating procedures will be followed at the Atal Setu as it is followed in Lakhanpur. Entry will be given to those with medical emergencies, businessmen, etc,” said Bhagat.
“Later, the bridge will be opened for the locals and for tourism purposes in a phased manner,” he added.