Closure of KKH at Dasu: Work to rebuild damaged road, bridge begins

MANSEHRA: Frontier Works Organisation and a Chinese company working at the Dasu Hydropower project on Wednesday started the reconstruction of an alternative piece of the Karakoram Highway and a bridge at Ichar Nullah in Upper Kohistan.

A small portion of the Karakoram Highway has been washed away by recent floods at Ichar Nullah, suspending traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

A temporary bridge erected at the same nullah originated from the nearby mountains and its catchment areas were also swept away by flash floods in Upper Kohistan before the Eidul Fitr and a large number of passengers travelling between two federating units had been stranded.

Assistant Commissioner Sue Division in Upper Kohistan, Waheed Ahmad Mughal, visited the Ichar Nullah area and reviewed the reconstruction work of the alternative piece of KKH and bridge.

“I have been visiting the area by order of Deputy Commissioner Irfanullah Mahsood to check reconstruction as the district administration wants to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow between KP and GB from this point,” he said.

He maintained that a Chinese company working at the 4320-megawatts Dasu hydropower project was also taking part in the reconstruction of the KKH portion, which was swept away by recent floods.

The traffic between KP and GB had been suspended before the Eidul Fitr after flash floods triggered by the continuous rains in the district was restored after the FWO made temporary arrangements at the same point.