Locals threaten protest over road project delay in Upper Chitral

CHITRAL: Expressing concern over inordinate delay in the construction of the Booni-Bozund Road, the elders and local government representatives in Torkhow tehsil of Upper Chitral on Tuesday announced to launch a protest movement if the pace of work on the project was not intensified.

“About 7 kilometers of work was to be completed by October 30 according to the agreement reached with the people and the officials of the Communications and Works Department and the contractor concerned. However, the work done is far behind the target and winter is fast approaching during which the asphalt installation process will be stopped,” said Jalaluddin, one of the elders, at the protest meeting in Wherkop village.

The elders said that the cost of the project had increased manifold due to the delay over the last 15 years. “The estimated cost of the project was Rs300 million some 15 years ago which has now jumped to over Rs1.5 billion,” said another elder Sher Aziz Baig, adding, they would not allow the C&W officials and contractor concerned to leave the project halfway. “It is also the responsibility of the officials of the district administration to take notice of the inordinate delay,” he said.The elders threatened to launch a protest movement if the work on the project was not properly initiated by October 20.