Udhampur: The senior War Veterans of 1947-48, 1962, 1971 and 1999 operations in the Ladakh region led by Nk Phunchok Angdus (Retd), a 89 year old war veteran, dedicated to the public a Cable Suspension Bridge constructed by Fire and Fury Corps over the Indus River at Choglamsar in Leh today.
Army undertook the task of building the bridge following requests received from the civil administration to help the locals of Choglamsar, Stok and Chuchot Villages (largest villages of Ladakh Region), a defense spokesman said in a statement.
The bridge was opened to the public by War Veterans in the presence of Lt Gen YK Joshi, General Officer Commanding ‘Fire and Fury Corps’, in a brief ceremony which was attended by a large number of local Army veterans besides senior Army and civil administration officials.
The spokesman said that the 260 feet Cable Suspension Bridge, which has been built using innovative engineering methods, is the longest Suspension Bridge over the River Indus. It was constructed by the Combat Engineers (Sahas aur Yogyata Regiment) of the ‘Fire & Fury Corps’ in a record time of 40 days, ferrying almost 500 Tons of bridging equipment and construction material.
Symbolising the excellent Civil-Military relations existing in the Leh – Ladakh region, the Bridge, aptly named ‘Maitri Bridge’, has been constructed in the year when the ‘Fire and Fury Corps’ is celebrating 20 years of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Locals of the area thanked the Army for constructing the bridge, which has brought much relief to people of the area.
