ABBOTTABAD, June 18: The road leading from Abbottabad to Murree, which has cost the public exchequer more than Rs2 billion, is in a bad shape due to the negligence of the concerned authorities.

Almost all the drains along tfhe road are filled with the mud and stones, which cause the rain water to flow on the road. The works department has even failed to remove the rocks which fall on the main road from Abbottabad to Nathiagali, which create problems for the road users.

Also, the side walls at various points have developed cracks wanting immediate repair. The retaining walls are also crumbling which pose damage to the main road.

The Abbottabad-Murree road was constructed by the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) some two years back and the National Highway Authority (NHA) was supposed to take care of its maintenance. A small unit of FWO was deployed on the road to do any minor repair, but the road condition deteriorated with each passing day. But, the NHA/FWO established a toll plaza at Tahi to collect tax from the road users.

This toll plaza was removed on demand of local politicians and leaders during the local government elections and later it was decided to hand over the road to the communications and works department maintenance.

The road remained closed for vehicular traffic for almost one month due to heavy snowfall and rains, causing major landsliding in the current season, and the local population faced serious difficulties.

The locals say that if the road had been under control of the NHA or the FWO, it would have been opened much earlier. The present custodian of the road, the C&W Department, has so far failed to level the ditches and potholes which have appeared in the road due to the landsliding.

The worsening condition of the road also keeps away tourists from Galyat in the current season.