BATTAGRAM: People of Battagram have demanded of the government to construct a by-pass road to ease traffic congestion on the main Karakoram Highway passing through the district headquarters.

Talking to reporters, they claimed that illegal parking and encroachments had squeezed the road greatly inconveniencing pedestrians.

They said vehicular traffic always remained stuck on the road, most part of which had been occupied by the traders for putting up their products.

Naseer Khan, a local, told Dawn that in the past there was less rush on the road as there were not many vehicles, but now everyone seemed to have their own cars, adding to the traffic rush on the main artery.

He said the road needed to be expanded to cater to the increasing traffic rush.

Yasir Swati, resident of Battagram village, criticised the authorities for not devising a plan to cater to the traffic fl ow on the KKH.

There should be a plan to expand the KKH or build a by-pass road to ease rush on the former.

Samiullah, another local resident, deplored the apathy of the political leaders and local administration towards the grave problem.

He pointed out that heavy traffic plied on the road round the clock, causing long gridlocks on it. He said a by-pass road should be built to divert heavy traffic on that road.

Another resident identified only as Faisal told Dawn that there was no space for pedestrians to walk along the road in the main bazaar due to illegal encroachments and car parking.

The authorities need to take action against the encroachers, he said, adding,to have a permanent solution to the problem, the government should construct a bypass road.

Javed Iqbal Ulasyar said as foreign tourists also used the road on their way to Gilgit-Baltistan and other scenic spots, the KKH should be expanded and freed of encroachments.

He said frequent traffic jams on the road caused great hardships to tourists.

He said the government should construct a road outside the Battagram bazaar to reduce rush on the main KKH.

Published in Dawn October 27th, 2016