Spanning history and conflict: Kashmir bridge gives Uri tourism huge potential

Like a bridge over troubled water, the Kaman Sethu stretches from India to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), giving the town of Uri tourism potential and offering visitors a chance to come face to face with contemporary history and the heroes who made it happen.
The small town of Uri, about 70 km from Srinagar, has long been in the line of enemy fire with soldiers controlling access to the 220-ft Kaman Bridge that connects Kashmir Valley to PoK, just across the small river treated as the Line of Control between India and Pakistan.
But with tourists being able to walk up to the bridge, also called Aman Sethu (Bridge of Peace), things have changed. Tourists, say locals, started coming to the town after the Bollywood film “Uri”, based on India’s surgical strike after an attack by four Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists in September 2018 left 18 soldiers dead. The situation was tense at the time and the film was shot in Serbia. The change since is visible. The number of visitors have been steadily rising since the bridge opened for tourists end of March. About 3,000 people visit each day and there is a view from the the other side too. Civilians on the other side can be seen taking selfies against the bridge under the strict vigil of Pakistani army snipers. The gates were locked after India suspended the bus service between Kashmir and PoK in February 2019 when 40 CRPF jawans were killed in a suicide attack by JeM in Pulwama.
Locals employed at the tourist facilitation centre, set up with the help of the army, greet tourists eager to visit the Kaman post, about 18 km from the main town.
“There are many scenic spots on the way with breathtaking landscapes that enthral tourists. We hope the move by the Indian Army to open the bridge will go a long way in boosting the economy of this area,” said Imran Ashraf, who mans the facilitation centre.
After checking for documents, including a pass from the local police station, visitors head to the Khalin-Da-Khas Nalla, the river flowing between the two sides of Kashmir.
“We inform tourists about the dos and don’ts before they embark on their journey to the famous bridge. Many Uri residents also make the trip because they haven’t seen it.” According to Lt Gen Amardeep Singh Aujla, who heads the Army’s XV Corps, the decision to given the general public access to the bridge was taken so “people should know where our heroes gave their today for our tomorrow”.
Aujla was the one who opened the lock and walked on the bridge, from end to end. A path near the bridge, named Veerpath, has busts of Indian war heroes.
“After all, I have every right to walk on every inch of my territory,” Aujla said after his walk on the bridge. It had been damaged during an earthquake in 2005 when a mountain on the Pakistani side caved in and rebuilt by engineers of the Indian Army.