Sit-in announced against non-construction of Istaru bridge

CHITRAL: People of different areas at a protest meeting in Shagram on Saturday decided to stage a sit-in against non-construction of Istaru bridge by the government. 

The sit-in at the site of the damaged bridge in Istaru will continue till the government starts work on the bridge, they announced.

The participants chanted slogans against their elected representatives and government officers and demanded transfer of the executive engineer of the Communication and Works Department within a week.

The residents of three union councils of Torkhow and Terich valley have been using an old and abandoned track to connect with other parts of the district after the collapse of the bridge.

Their demand to arrange a steel bridge over Istaru stream to restore traffic on Booni-Torkhow road has fell on deaf ears.

The traffic on the route has been suspended after collapse of the bridge at the site since April 3 this year. 

The locals said the old track being used now passes through mountanous areas and will ve closed in case of snowfall in the winter.