MANSEHRA/SHANGLA/LOWER DIR: The tehsil municipal administration sealed three private cable cars in Balakot on Thursday saying it will allow chairlifts to operate only if they’re found to be safe.

“We have stopped three cable cars from operating in the mountainous Bampora, Boli, and Garhi Habibullah areas for examination to ensure the safety of passengers, mostly women and children, in line with the orders of the deputy commissioner,” TMA superintendent (taxes) Shahnawaz told Dawn.

He said around a dozen chairlifts had already been sealed in Mansehra district.

The development came following the rescue of eight people, including six children, who remained stranded on a cable car hundreds of feet above ground in the mountainous Battagram area. They got stuck in the chairlift for long hours after two of its cables snapped.

Officials say chairlifts to be checked for safety

Balakot official Shahnawaz said a committee constituted by the deputy commissioner on the orders of the chief secretary would examine chairlifts in the district and those found to be “physically and technically” safe would be given licences to operate.

He said other members of the committee included the tehsil municipal officer and other relevant officials.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Bilal Shahid Rao told reporters that all cable cars installed in the district would be examined with faulty and dilapidated ones not to be allowed to operate.

Also in the day, the district administration examined chairlifts installed by people over rivers and valleys in Shangla.

Deputy Commissioner Hassan Abid told Dawn that he had directed all tehsil municipal officers to examine cable cars to check if they’re safe for people’s use.

“Nine private chairlifts have been inspected with seven installed over the Indus River,” he said.

The DC said the administration had asked cable car operators to register themselves with the tehsil municipal administrations and ensure regular chairlift maintenance to prevent strict action.

“The TMAs will monitor chairlifts and those found unsafe will be sealed,” he said.

The Chakisar tehsil municipal officer said he had asked every chairlift owner to share fitness certificates with him within a week to prevent action.

Meanwhile, the district administration sealed several chairlifts over the Panjkora River and other streams in the Lower Dir district on Thursday.

Timergara assistant commissioner Dr Nida Iqbal directed cable car operators to obtain fitness certificates from the deputy commissioner’s office before resuming operation.

She said a technical team would examine chairlifts for the issuance of fitness certificates.

The residents of mountainous areas complained about the sealing of cable cars saying the chairlift is the only way for them to cross rivers and valleys in the absence of bridges and roads.

They demanded early restoration of cable car operations.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2023