LOWER DIR: Social and political activists here on Thursday complained that several development projects initiated years ago in the district were yet to be completed.

Talking to this correspondent, they demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to take notice of the issue and expedite work on those projects.

Local traders’ leaders Haji Anwaruddin, Haji Laiq Zada and Malik Dilawar Khan expressed anger over delay in construction of bypass roads and Khazana bypass bridge.

They said work on Kalpani-Talash bypass road was started in 2015 after its approval by then PTI government in the province. They said work on Chakdara bypass road and Khazana bypass bridge was also started some six years ago, but the projects were not yet completed.

“Former finance minister Muzaffar Said had approved Rs350 million for 10-kilometre Kalpani-Talash bypass road in 2015,” Anwaruddin said, adding the amount was increased to Rs580 million later on. He said work on the project was started during the previous government, but it was still in progress.

The government had released Rs200 million for Chakdara bypass road in 2015, but it was yet to be completed.

Jamaat-i-Islami activist Yaqubur Rehman said Chakdara was the gateway to Dir, Chitral, Bajaur and Afghanistan and thousands of vehicles daily had to pass through the narrow Chakdara Bazaar where traffic remained jammed for hours. Similarly, the Khazana bypass bridge was washed away by floods in 2015.

Dr Sher Azam, a resident of Jandol, said that due to closure of Khazana bypass bridge heavy trucks bound for Jandol and Afghanistan had to pass through Timergara city, thus causing a traffic mess.

When contacted, CM’s special assistant on anti-corruption MPA Shafiullah Khan said the government was aware of the delay in those projects. He said work on Talash bypass road would be resumed soon. He said work on the projects remained slow due to the Covid-19 pandemic and other reasons.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2021