Major roads closed by rains open, Kalash valley still cut off

CHITRAL: Major roads to and inside Chitral closed by recent rains were reopened on Friday but Kalash valley is still blocked.

Meanwhile, a new wet spell started in Chitral with reports of snowfall in mountains and villages in remote areas of Upper  Chitral on Friday, it has been learnt by ChitralToday. 

With the reopening of Chitral-Peshawar road, supply of essential food and other items resumed on Friday. Similarly, the blocked roads to Mastuj and Garam Chashma were also opened.

However, roads to Kalsh valleys and Shishi Koh are still blocked due to flooding in nullahs and rock fall at different points.

This has created a shortage of food items in the valleys besides causing hardship to passengers to and from these remote areas.

Meanwhile, after partial relaxations in the coronavirus lockdown and opening of construction and related industry, only shops of garments, shoes, hair dressers and other such trades remain closed and their owners and workers are facing the brunt.

The local administration imposed fines ranging to Rs5,000 to Rs10,000 on owners of garment shops and hair dressers for opening their shops. The owners termed the fines as cruel when business activities were already shut due to the lockdown.

Meanwhile, the lockdown is gradually losing intensity with most of the shops in the town and nearby areas almost opening.

The local administration is however still shifting people returning from other cities to Chitral to quarantine centres. On the other hand, it is learnt that the Upper Chitral administration was allowing most of the returnees to remain on quarantine in their homes.