SHANGLA: People of Kormang and Chichlo areas here have demanded of the government to resume work on the under-construction bridge connecting three union councils of the area with rest of the district over Khan Khwar River.

Talking to mediapersons here on Sunday, they said work on the Kormang bridge was started after several years and they were expecting its completion within two months as 70 per cent work was already done. However, they said the contractor had now again stopped work.

Ihsaullah, a resident, said that on the one hand the suspension bridge’s planks were damaged and ropes rusted, on the other the contractor had left work on the under-construction RCC bridge halfway.

He said that millions of rupees were spent on the suspension bridge in the past.

He claimed that Rs51 million had been approved for its repair again, but the government did not bother to allocate funds for the under-construction RCC bridge to address the issue permanently.

Shamshi Khan, another resident of the area, said had the bridge been completed in time the Kormang road would have also been reconstructed as funds for it were already approved.

Bahramand of Shahtoot said they could not transport goods through the suspension bridge. The bridge is being used by the people of three union councils of Kormang, Ranyal and Kuz Kana.

The residents have demanded of the government to resume work on the RCC bridge and complete the project on priority.

WILDFIRE: Fire destroyed many trees in the mountains at Lilonai area of Shangla the other day.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Rasool Khan said the fire had engulfed two compartments of the forest. He said the rescue staff and local people extinguished the blaze after three hours of efforts.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2021