Lowari tunnel: a dark and dangerous journey

Gul Hamaad Farooqi

CHITRAL: The Lowari tunnel, one of the longest road tunnels in the world, is plagued by serious operational issues that endanger the lives of the commuters and the security personnel.

The tunnel, which spans 8.6 km, is supposed to connect the districts of Chitral and Dir Upper in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. However, the tunnel is not operated as per the standard operating procedure. More than half of the tunnel is in complete darkness, as the LEDs installed inside the tunnel are out of order.

The commuters feel like they are inside a black hole when they pass through the tunnel. Moreover, on both sides of the tunnel, no electricity is provided to the security personnel, who are responsible for maintaining the safety and order of the tunnel.

The situation is worsened by the alleged negligence in duty the chief operating officer (COO) of the tunnel, who was previously posted as the deputy director of afforestation on the motorway.

According to sources in the Lowari tunnel, the COO has not visited the tunnel even once in the last five months. However, he is giving monthly invoices to the operator despite the poor performance of the contractor.

The chairman of the National Highway Authority has been requested by commuters to intervene and solve the problems of the Lowari tunnel, which is a vital infrastructure project for the region.

The tunnel should be operated according to the international standards and the best practices, and the COO should be held accountable for his negligence. The people of Chitral and deserve a safe and smooth journey through the tunnel.