Dilapidated road troubles tourists in Kumrat valley

DIR: The dilapidated condition of the road in the picturesque Kumrat valley caused problems to tourists who visited the valley during Eidul Fitr as they had to spend seven to nine hours to cover a distance of six kilometres.

According to official statistics, more than 200,000 tourists from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwaand other parts of the country strolled into Kumratvalley during the Eid vacations.

However, many complained about the worst condition of the road, which is badly affecting efforts for promotion of tourism in the district. They said the tourists would never visit Kumrat in future if the government and the department did not construct the road soon.

They also complained that there wasn’t a single traffic personal to make vehicular traffic in order. Ziaur Rahman, district councillor from Patrak Union Council, said traffic got jammed in two or three points between Thal and Kumrat.

And there was not a single police or Levies personnel to handle the traffic system, he added. He said that in addition, the worst condition of the road has also troubled tourists for years. Fahad Khan, a resident of Sialkot, said he had come several times to Kumrat in previous three to fouryears; however, he found the road condition unchanged and still remained dilapidated.

Another tourist from Multan, Muhammad Taufiq, said the road to Kumrat was dusty, bumpy and narrow and journey on it was very difficult and the area would attract more tourists if the government paved it and blacktopped.

Traffic gridlock was reported from Biyar, Kalkot and the eight-kilometre portion from Thal to Kumrat. “The slope in Malo area caused traffic jam and many vehicles slipped there amid rain but there was hardly anyone from the administration to help the people,” said a tourists from Lahore,Tanveer, who was flanked by Asif Noman from Islamabad and Altaf Khan, the nazim of the villagecouncil Sheringal.

Mozzamil Shah, a resident of Ganori area in Upper Dir, complained of the bumpy road from Thal to Kumrat and poor preparations on the part of the administration. Residents of the area urged people not to bring their personal cars to Kumrat to avoid traffic jam.