Bridge built through foreign funding opened in far-off village

CHITRAL: A bridge constructed by the Sarhad Rural Support Program (SRSP) at a cost of Rs7.2 million on a river in Damel village along the Pakistan-Afghan border was opened on Wednesday.

Inaugurating the bridge, Commandant Chitral Scouts Brigadier Moinuddin appreciated the quality of work on the project which was funded by the government of Germany through the Pakistan Afghanistan Tajikistan Regional Integration Program.

Local people on the occasion thanked SRSP and PATRIP as well as the German government for fulfilling the longstanding demand of the people. The bridge will benefit 120 households of the village.

District Program Manager Engineer Khadimullah, Major Abdullah, SRSP’s engineers and notable of the area were also present.

Engineer Khadimullah briefed Brig Moinuddin about upcoming development projects in the far-flung area.

Some locals said the water in the river increased in the summer increased too much preventing their children from going to school.

Brigadier Moinuddin inspected an under-construction middle school and a high school for women in the Arandu area that are also being executed by the SRSP. Later, wife of the Scouts commandant inaugurated a hostel for female teachers of the Government Girls Middle School Arandu.

School’s Head Mistress Imrana Wazir said the school had no family quarters for non-local teachers and were facing accommodation problems. –GH Fraooqui