Rain, snowfall spell: Frequent landslides block roads in Upper Dir

DIR: The incidents of frequent landslide at various places on main Dir-Kumrat road have become a nuisance for the drivers, commuters and tourists.

The locals said that landslides occurred at several places from Dodba Bypass to Patrak road in Upper Dir district during the current spell of rains and snowfall due to which smooth flow of traffic was badly affected.

The vehicular traffic, they said, remained suspended for hours, which caused difficulties to passengers as well as tourists who stuck up in various places on the road. Long queues of passengers and tourists’ vehicles were seen on both sides of the road.

More incidents of landslide were reported on the road from Dodba Bypass to Shaga area that blocked the traffic, causing difficulties to people of Kohistan valley and the tourists visiting picturesque Kumrat valley. However, the road blockades prompted the district administration and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority (KPHA), which used heavy machinery and cleared the road.

Meanwhile, the residents of Kohistan valley have asked the KPHA to identify those spots where incidents of landsliding were frequently happening and find a permanent solution to it.