Passengers stranded for hours as landslide blocks road in Kaghan valley

MANSEHRA: The tourists and commuters travelling between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday stranded in Dum Duma area of Kaghan valley for many hours after heavy mudslides blocked Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road for many hours.

“We have cleared the road to traffic after hectic efforts of many hours and tourists and passengers left for their respective destinations,” Assad Shahzad, Assistant Director Kaghan Development Authority, told reporters.

The heavy mudslides detached from the nearby mountains in Dum Duma area, blocking roads to traffic at about 11am,which was cleared at about 0530 pm. The shovel and excavators machines removed the heavy mudslides, which blocked roads along Kunhar River. The tourists and passengers travelling between KP and GB remained stranded in long queues of vehicles on both sides of the road. “The tourists and passengers travelling via Kaghan valley should adopt all the precautionary measures for their safety,” Shahzad said.

He added that the KDA stationed its machinery at landslide areas and motorists should be more vigilant while passing through such zones.

Hussan Deen, the chairman of the hoteliers association in Kaghan valley, said that the roads were cleared to all sorts of the traffic and tourists could visit Babusar Top, Bassal and adjoining localities without any hurdles.