Traffic between KP, GB via Kaghan valley restored

MANSEHRA: The traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan was restored on Thursday after the successful installation of a giant steel bridge in the Mahandri area of Kaghan valley.

“The widening and installation of the central bridge, which was swept away in flash floods last year and temporarily replaced by a small structure, has now been completed,” Assistant Commissioner Balakot, Nadir Khan, told reporters at Mahandri.

The district administration had earlier announced a three-day closure of the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad (MNJ) road for traffic between the two federating units to allow the installation of the 33-foot-wide bridge over the Mahandri stream, which flows downstream in the Kunhar River at the same point.

To facilitate emergency crossings during the closure, the National Highway Authority had also constructed a temporary ramp adjacent to the new structure, allowing limited tourists, ambulances and essential movement.

“Since the original bridge was washed away in last year’s floods, traffic was managed through a narrow temporary structure, causing severe congestion and hardship, especially during the tourism season,” the official said.

“Now, with the installation of the new bridge, two-way traffic flow significantly improving connectivity and easing traffic during peak tourist days,” he added.

To celebrate the event, the residents and the business community, led by Hotel Association president Seth Matiullah and Chairman Hussan Deen, gathered at the bridge, distributed sweets and offered special prayers.

“The old narrow bridge had become a major hurdle for traffic flow for passengers and tourists, but this new facility will comfortably accommodate two-way traffic, shrinking the distance between KP and GB significantly via MNJ road as compared to the Karakoram Highway,” said Haasn Deen.