Concerns over Kangra’s abandoned bridges raised during heritage week

Amid World Heritage Week, a few heritage lovers in Kangra district aired their concern for the age-old bridges rendered useless, and replaced by newer structures in the last few years. Having an emotional connect with the bridges, the people call them ‘Setus’.

Aishwarya Katoch, scion of the Kangra royal family, feels that several structures in the district, dating back to the British times, have monumental value and, therefore, must be preserved.

Showing concern for the abandoned bridges — specimens of unique architecture that have withstood their ground for over a century now — lying in a state of utter neglect, he said, “These bridges have a history attached to them. Also, since they are conspicuously located, they can easily be utilised for the promotion of tourism as roadside ‘haats’ or cultural ‘marts’ they can be used to showcase Himachali handicraft.”

The bridge built on a stream of the Dehar khud at Kotla in 1901 has been the lifeline on the Pathankot-Dharamshala road, and has been in use by civil and military personnel.

This 74-m long and 3.70-m wide single-lane bridge, which has eight aesthetically built arches, is endangered, with shrubbery engulfing the stone masonry. Talking to The Tribune, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) (Kangra chapter) Coordinator LN Aggarwal said, “The bridge at Kotla is a marvellous piece of tangible heritage belonging to the colonial era. I am taken back to 1954, when, as a student of Class IIX, I attended NCC training camp at Kotla, the officer asked us how many arches were there on the Kotla bridge.”

“There is another bridge over Baner just below Kangra Fort, which has now lost its significance due to the four-lane that is coming up. There is another one called the Matour bridge, built in 1883 on Manooni khud on the Pathankot-Mandi highway near Kangra,” he added.

There are several others which need immediate attention of the administration before they are lost in oblivion, members of INTACH say.

These treasures of history need to be conserved.

According to Article 51(f), (g) of the Constitution, it is the duty of every citizen of India to value and preserve the heritage of India.

Further, Article 49 protects the country’’s built heritage: “It shall be the obligation of the State to protect every monument or place or object of artistic or historic interest.”