Chitral' roads becoming death traps due to lack of repair

Since 2015, flash floods have played havoc with the already haggard roads in Chitral but the damaged communication infrastructures are yet to be rebuilt. The Chitral-Mastuj road, which bears the burden of most of the traffic, needs an immediate attention of the authorities concerned. Due to the lack of proper transport systems, people of far-off areas have to travel in crammed and packed vehicles, some of them dangling from the dangerously loaded jeeps etc., Four people lost their lives within a week on this very road near Mroi in two separate accidents. Commuters say rocks and boulders slipping from the overlooking mountain have narrowed the road to a very dangerous level at that particular point, leading to the accidents. However, the road is not being cleared of the obstacles. A few weeks earlier, three people were killed and several others injured when a jeep plunged into a ravine in the Arkari valley. It is high time the local government arranged staff and machinery and depute them at all points on the road that are more prone to rock-falls, land or mud slides to avoid such accidents and save lives. [caption id="attachment_44094" align="alignright" width="1024"] Photos by GH Farooqui[/caption]  ]]>