Residents want reconstruction of road

ABBOTTABAD: The residents of Thandiani and adjacent areas have demanded reconstruction of Thandiani-Muzaffarabad road that had been badly damaged in the 2005 earthquake.

The local elders, including Zakir Qureshi, Pervez Qureshi, Ashfaq Abbasi, Shakeel Abbasi and Javed Abbasi appealed to the chief minister, KP Assembly speaker and Khyber Pakhtunkwa Tourism Department head to reconstruct one of the major link roads connecting tourist spot, Thandiani, with Muzaffarabad. The road is also used by the local residents for their day to day purchases from Muzaffarabad covering at least 30 villages. Around 700 to 1000 vehicles ply this route daily despite its poor condition. Many commuters go to Muzaffarabad for healthcare facilities and buying daily food and other household items.

They claimed that heavy rain and land-sliding have further damaged the road and nobody took care of it but sometimes the local population clear the road of landslides themselves. They further said that bad condition of the route has also caused accidents and may cause more mishaps if it is not rehabilitated.

From tourism point of view, it is an important road that connects Thandiani to Muzaffarabad and Neelam valley. And if Thandiani is linked with Nathiagali via the route, the tourists travelling from Murree to Nathiagali would be able to move to Muzaffarabad while traversing Thandiani and enjoying its beauty.