CHITRAL: The dwellers of the landlocked valley continue to suffer as the authorities concerned are least interested to regularise travel via Lowari Tunnel in the stipulated two days in a week, making the passengers to wait for hours in the freezing atmosphere.
Several travellers told reporters here that the National Highway Authority and the private company officials were not implementing the schedule for traffic issued by the district administration and district council.
The district administration had fixed Friday, Saturday and Tuesday for movement of light and heavy vehicles to pass through the tunnel.
The local people also rejected the idea of diverting the traffic to the Lowari Top and termed it against the ground realities. They said the idea to direct the transporters to use the 10,000 feet high peak in the snowfall was unrealistic and akin to inviting trouble.
They said that various horrific traffic accidents had occurred due to slipping of vehicles on the Lowari Top road in the past.
An engineer, wishing not to be named, revealed that the labourers working in two shifts in tunnel. He said due to duty change, the development work was being suspended daily from 7-9am in the morning and 7-9pm in the evening.
He said that the issue could be resolved to a great extent if the traffic was allowed to pass through the tunnel in these timings.
“There would also be no need left to keep close the development work on the tunnel for two-long days,” he added.
Furthermore, he said that hardly 100 vehicles passed through the tunnel daily. “Two hours is enough time for such quantity of vehicles to pass through the tunnel,” he added.
The residents have appealed to the prime minister and NHA high-ups to have pity on the people of the landlocked district and issue a feasible and an appropriate traffic schedule for the Lowari Tunnel to alleviate their sufferings.
Meanwhile, the people of Drosh and other areas held a protest gathering in the bazaar against government’s decision to open the Lowari tunnel only after 5pm on every Tuesday and Friday.