Good news at last: Lowari tunnel to open two days a week
PESHAWAR, Jan 2: The KPK government has arranged for the opening of the under-construction Lowari tunnel for two full days every week effective from January 4, it was announced here on Thursday.
The decision was finalized at a meeting chaired by chief secretary Arbab Shehzad and attended by among others officers of the army 11 corps.
The step has been taken on the special direction of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. On the direction of the provincial government, the divisional administration, NHA and the army will also make arrangements for the security and medical assistance to the passengers on both southern and northern portals of the tunnel. Under the arrangements, the Sambu company and the NHA will remove their machinery and equipment from the tunnel on Saturdays and Sundays to facilitate the passage of the vehicles without any hindrance. For this disruption in the ongoing work on the tunnel, the KPK government will pay Rs300,000 to the NHA. The meeting, also attended by army officer, ordered the setting up of medical camps on both sides of the tunnel to provide first-aid to the passengers in case of any emergency.
The passengers will be made bound to carry dry fruits, water, oxygen masks and lights to avoid any untoward situation inside the tunnel in case of passengers’ vehicles developed faults, traffic jams or other emergency. They will not be allowed to carry gasoline or other combustible materials with them. They have been requested to cooperate with the administration in this regard.
It may be noted that the federal government had agreed to open the tunnel for two days after every 15 days. On the demand of the people of Chitral, the KPK government wanted to open the tunnel for two days every week but the federal government asked the provincial government to go for the weekly opening at its own cost. A statement here said the issue was resolved after MPA from Chitral Fouzia Bibi and PTI district vice president Razeet Billah with the chief minister and complained about this important human issue.]]>
Your report implies that the two day tunnel’s opening was made possible by the PTI government in KPK. I am not going to agree with you. It was because of the people of Drosh who launched a protest drive against both the federal and the KPK government that forced the chief minister to announce the opening of the tunnel for two days every week. Credit should be given to those who deserve it, no offence but the PTI was nowhere in this case.
We are very much thankful to the PTI government and the leaders of PTI Chitral, especially MPA Fouzia Bibi and others, for going out of the way to open the tunnel for two full days a week to resolve the issues of Chitrali passengers. Good work and keep it up. The arrangement of the medical camps is a new initiative and a gift from PTI government.