SWABI: Local leaders of opposition parties have criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial government for alleged faulty construction of Topi Bridge after its photo appeared on social media with a claim that `it is dangerous and has an engineering fault`.

The bridge was damaged by flood during monsoon rains last year and on the demand of local people and industrialists its reconstruction was started on emergency basis. The traffic has been diverted to Kotha causeway where it usually remains jammed.

The bridge has been completed but not yet opened to trafhc.It has been learnt that it would be inaugurated soon.

When contacted, officials of the communication and works department told this scribe on Tuesday that the total cost of reconstruction of portion of the bridge was Rs24 million.

In the picture circulated on social media it has been projected that the huge beams could not get the required space on the giant pillar, thus making structure of the bridge dangerous.

JUI-F district head Maulana Attaul Haq claimed that a hugeamount spent on the bridge had been wasted. The bridge links Topi tehsil, Gadoon Amazal belt, GIK Institute and Tarbela Dam with rest of the country.

PML-N district general secretary Dildar Khan said that the bridge project had made clear how the PTI-led government worked for the welfare of people. He said that PTI had been misguiding people through hollow slogans.

Zahir Shah, president of All Neighbourhood Councils Ittehad, said that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak did not come for inauguration of the bridge when he visited the district a few days ago. He said that they had planned a protestfor the occasion.

Local ANP activists said that in the displayed picture it was quite visible that there was a `serious fault` in placement of the beam.

When contacted on phone, KP Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser said that they had seen the photo of the bridge on social media. He said that they had discussed the issue with the C&W department officials who said that the bridge was built according to the principles of engineering and there was no fault in the project.

`We reject all the allegations hurled by leaders of the rival parties in this regard,` he said.