Damaged road has become a pool of problems

CHITRAL:  Main road of Dhom Shogor at Drosh valley some 50 KM from here was damaged by flood in 2015 but unfortunately the road could not restored in two years.  Prominent social worker and secretary information of PPP Akmal Bhutto told this scribe that road was washed away by tremendous flood in 2015. A retaining wall was constructed by Communication and Works (C & W) department but the road filling was left incomplete. As a result water leaking from river which standing on road and in case of raising water level the road converting in a pool of water. He said that residents of this village comprising on 200 households facing great hardships while travelling on the road when it full of water.

Especially school going children facing great hardships because there is no school in this village and they had to go school situated in another village. But when they go to school their shoes and cloth became dirty. He said that due to standing water on the road sometimes children try to walk over retaining wall on River bank which is most dangerous and can take their lives any time if they fell down in river thousands of feet deep.

Muhammad Afzal a resident of the same village said that road remains damaged for the last 2 years but contractor left the work incomplete without filling and putting of debris or concrete even soil on road to save it from water.

Zohaib Ahmad is a student of 8th class he told that when he going to school he often face of problems because his shoes and uniform make dirty and wet because water standing on the road.

Local people complained that Akmal Bhutto was information secretary of PPP and Saleem Khan remained 5 years minister and MPA for the last 4 years on PPP ticket but he never released fund for blacktopping of this road and it presents a ruined look. They complained that contractor was not paid by C&W department.

In this connection when this scribe contacted Executive Engineer of C&W Maqbool  Azam he denied allegations and said that they have paid to contractor but some liabilities are still remaining  hence he confessed that they have no fund for this purpose Hence he hoped that they will get fund in July and after that the remaining part of Dhoom shogoor road will be completed.

Residents of the area demanded from provincial government for early construction of Dhoom shogor road to redress their problems.

They all set in main road to record their token protest against C&W department who left incomplete this road.

By: Gul Hammad Farooqi