Residents call for Shangla-Alpuri Road blacktopping

ALPURI: The residents on Monday asked the government and the relevant authorities to ensure the blacktopping of the main Shangla-Alpuri road to ease the problems of the local population.

They said that the work continued to face delays, exacerbating their problems due to the incomplete blacktopping of the main road.Despite construction beginning over a year ago, a 10-kilometre stretch of the road remained in a dilapidated condition, resembling ruins and posing serious challenges to commuters.

The road project initially saw partial progress, with some sections being blacktopped shortly after construction commenced. However, a crucial portion connecting Shangla Top to the district headquarters in Alpuri was left unfinished, leaving the route nearly impassable in several places.

Residents repeatedly raised the issue with Federal Minister for Communications Engineer Amir Muqam, urging him to take up the matter with the National Highway Authority (NHA). However, despite these efforts, no action has been taken, and the neglected portion of the road continues to deteriorate.

The condition of the road has only worsened with time. Traffic flow is severely disrupted, and daily travel has become a mental and physical ordeal for residents.The locals voiced concern that underdeveloped areas like Shangla often suffered from administrative apathy, with development schemes frequently stalled or delayed indefinitely.They renewed their calls for urgent intervention to complete the blacktopping and restore normalcy to a vital transportation lifeline of the district.