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Is it possible to build a 592 metre long cable stayed bridge in India in a span of just five days? If you were to go by the official handouts released by the Jammu & Kashmir-based spokesperson of the Defence Ministry, in the last one week the bridge of great strategic importance for the Indian army has been readied by the project executing agencies for inauguration in a record time of just five days - and it stands tall on Ravi river connecting borders of J&K with Punjab and Himanchal Pradesh". The only problem is: there is no such bridge in existence.
Ironically, in the absence of any such construction activity on the ground, the public relations unit of the Ministry went in to a bit of overdrive, claiming all the credit for the construction of the strategically important bridge!
On May 16, 2011, the first Press release-cum-invitation letter was circulated by the public relations unit of the Defence Ministry through e-mail to mediapersons to cover the high profile event. The letter stated, "Defence Minister AK Antony and Sonia Gandhi would be laying a concept stone at Basholi bridge on May 23, 2011. Kindly depute your reporter/camera person to cover the ceremony".
The construction work on the bridge is likely to be completed by September 2014 at a cost of Rs 145 crore.
After this, a few more follow-up invites were also circulated by the same office giving other details of transport, security passes etc with the same title, 'Laying of concept stone'.
Then on May 21, when Minister of State for Defence M Pallam Raju arrived in Pathankot to take stock of the arrangements along with senior officials of the Ministry, came another Press release circulated by the Ministry under the new title, 'Curtain raiser'.
According to the defence communique, "Pallam Raju arrived here on a three-day visit in connection with the inauguration of the strategically important Basholi Bridge, located on the Ravi River on the border between Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab".
The Press statement further stated, "The inauguration will take place on Monday by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi with Defence Minister, AK Antony and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in attendance".
The curtain raiser further gave details about the strategic importance of the bridge. "The bridge is of immense strategic importance as it is the first of its kind in northern India. It is a 592 metre long bridge, only the third of its kind in India after Hoogly and Mumbai bridges. Nowhere in the Press release it was mentioned that the VVIPs are going to attend a foundation stone laying ceremony.
"It shows our concern for the people of Jammu and Kashmir as they will get an alternate route besides National Highway 44 to connect with Kashmir", the communiqué said.
Interestingly, before issuing the May 21 release, the public relations unit of the Ministry seems to have ignored the visit of J & K Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand to the project site. Tara Chand had visited Basohli and inspected the proposed Ravi bridge site on May 18 to review the arrangements.
Again on May 22, the latest Press release circulated by the Defence wing of the Press Information Bureau set the record straight. It stated, "Construction work for a permanent bridge over river Ravi to link three north Indian states- Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab will kick start tomorrow when the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council Sonia Gandhi lays the foundation stone for the project at Basohli in J&K."
District Development Commissioner Kathua Zahida Khan told The Pioneer, "A function is being organised to lay the foundation stone of the Basohli bridge on Monday. She said UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Defence Minister AK Antony, State Chief Minister and Union Ministers Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad are also scheduled to attend the ceremony.
Ironically, in the absence of any such construction activity on the ground, the public relations unit of the Ministry went in to a bit of overdrive, claiming all the credit for the construction of the strategically important bridge!
On May 16, 2011, the first Press release-cum-invitation letter was circulated by the public relations unit of the Defence Ministry through e-mail to mediapersons to cover the high profile event. The letter stated, "Defence Minister AK Antony and Sonia Gandhi would be laying a concept stone at Basholi bridge on May 23, 2011. Kindly depute your reporter/camera person to cover the ceremony".
The construction work on the bridge is likely to be completed by September 2014 at a cost of Rs 145 crore.
After this, a few more follow-up invites were also circulated by the same office giving other details of transport, security passes etc with the same title, 'Laying of concept stone'.
Then on May 21, when Minister of State for Defence M Pallam Raju arrived in Pathankot to take stock of the arrangements along with senior officials of the Ministry, came another Press release circulated by the Ministry under the new title, 'Curtain raiser'.
According to the defence communique, "Pallam Raju arrived here on a three-day visit in connection with the inauguration of the strategically important Basholi Bridge, located on the Ravi River on the border between Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab".
The Press statement further stated, "The inauguration will take place on Monday by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi with Defence Minister, AK Antony and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in attendance".
The curtain raiser further gave details about the strategic importance of the bridge. "The bridge is of immense strategic importance as it is the first of its kind in northern India. It is a 592 metre long bridge, only the third of its kind in India after Hoogly and Mumbai bridges. Nowhere in the Press release it was mentioned that the VVIPs are going to attend a foundation stone laying ceremony.
"It shows our concern for the people of Jammu and Kashmir as they will get an alternate route besides National Highway 44 to connect with Kashmir", the communiqué said.
Interestingly, before issuing the May 21 release, the public relations unit of the Ministry seems to have ignored the visit of J & K Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand to the project site. Tara Chand had visited Basohli and inspected the proposed Ravi bridge site on May 18 to review the arrangements.
Again on May 22, the latest Press release circulated by the Defence wing of the Press Information Bureau set the record straight. It stated, "Construction work for a permanent bridge over river Ravi to link three north Indian states- Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab will kick start tomorrow when the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council Sonia Gandhi lays the foundation stone for the project at Basohli in J&K."
District Development Commissioner Kathua Zahida Khan told The Pioneer, "A function is being organised to lay the foundation stone of the Basohli bridge on Monday. She said UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Defence Minister AK Antony, State Chief Minister and Union Ministers Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad are also scheduled to attend the ceremony.
