Shandur road widening in the doldrums

RESHUN, May 8: Some time back, during the Musharraf era, the people of Upper Chitral got the good news that widening and char coaling of Shandur road had started from Rurumotek near Awi. It was, however, not certain whether the road  would be reconstructed from Booni. As time passed, the project faced delay and many hiccups. And after so many years, today it seems that the real beneficiaries from the funds allocated for the project were the local authorities and big crocodiles (contractors). A few barrels of charcoal are still lying dumped at Parwak and the gullible people of the area are in the hope that one day the road would be widened and smoothened for their comfortable travelling. The well-wisher of Chitral, former President General Pervez Musharraf had also announced at Shandur polo ground the launching of work on the bridge in front of Mastuj. But after his departure, now one can see half part of the bridge filled with heaps of soil. It will be swept away when the river level increases during the summer. This also shows another fraud and embezzlement of funds, but there seems no one to take notice of the matter as the whole country is being ruled by corruption mafia. The local residents said work on the project was at full swing during the previous government. Besides, same strategy is being repeated at Nisur Gol. Instead of completing the bridge, the departments concerned have connected both sides with maunds of soil and it is too much steep from both sides at the centre and risky for the heavy vehicles, especially during snowfall. The residents of Parwak said the road was also perilous at Ispari Deri because the road was extremely narrow there as the rocks had not been blasted properly. MPA Haji Ghulam Ahmed recently said about 130 million rupees have been agreed for the Booni-Shandur road. He expressed the hope that work on the project would be restarted at the end of May.  He said about forty nine corers rupees were sanctioned by the previous government and which was not sufficient. People of the area expressed the fear that the politicians and organizations concerned would not spend the amount transparently.–Munir Hussyn Fatimi]]>