MINGORA: The residents of Utror and adjacent areas said here on Tuesday that the Kalam-Utror road was cleared to traffic after two machines reached the area and removed the heavy snow from it.

They said that traffic had been restored between Kalam and Utror and people could now easily go to any part of the country.

“After the road was cleared I came to Mingora to buy some essential daily use commodities,” said Saleem, a resident of Utror, while talking to this scribe.

The residents said that two machines were also clearing the road from Utror to Gabral area and it was expected to be opened on Wednesday (today).

“The area has received a heavy snowfall. Many shopkeepers from Utror started going to Mingora, Khwazakhela and other parts of Swat valley to buy daily use items, including food and medicines, to take these to Utror,” said Asif Shehzad, another resident of Utror.

Mumtaz, another resident of the area, said that people took a sigh of relief after opening of the road. “Many people went to Kalam, Bahrain, Khwazakhela and Mingora to bring daily use items,” he said.

The residents thanked executive engineer of the communication and works department Farmanullah Khattak for taking timely steps to clear the road.

Deputy commissioner Saqib Raza Aslam said that the machines would remain in the area till end of winter and these would be used for clearing roads, if needed.

In Mansehra, the upper parts of Hazara received the second spell of heavy snowfall on Tuesday.

The heavy rain and snowfall started in Mansehra, Torghar, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Kolai Palas districts after an interval of a week following the first spell.

The road to Shogran, a tourist resort, was blocked to traffic because of the snowfall.

According to local people, Kaghan, Siren and Konsh valleys, and Shogran, Chaterplan, Sharkol and other mountainous areas received over eight inch of snowfall.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2020