SWABI: Transporters have demanded of authorities to repair various main and link roads in the district that have been affected by the recent heavy rain.

The rain also washed away one of the edge of entering point to Kala Bridge from Jehangira side on busy Swabi-Jehangira road, due to which the traffic remains jammed there for hours daily.

“This bridge has become a huge headache for us and commuters as well,” said Kausar Khan, an auto-rickshaw driver.

Transporters said that it was an irony that communication and works department did not come forward to repair the washed away portion of the bridge. Built in 1980, the narrow bridge can’t absorb heavy traffic. Another bridge, beside it, is under-construction and expected to be completed soon.

Due to the collapse of entry point of Kala Bridge, traffic on Swabi-Jehangira road remained jammed for several hours the other day. People faced many problems and even traffic police were not able to control the flow of vehicles.

They said that 18-kilometre Swabi-Topi road also developed ditches and driving on it was difficult for them as it wasted their time and damaged their vehicles.

Usman Ghani, an engineer, said that during two constitutional terms, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s lawmakers failed to allocate funds for reconstruction of the road.

Similarly, six-kilometre Topi-Miani road is in dilapidated condition. Eight-kilometre Gohati-Afghan refugees camp road is also potholed and the recent rain has further affected it.

Nine-kilometre Maneri-Saleem Khan road is in a bad condition. Locals said that the road was built more than three decades ago. Sixteen-kilometre Topi-Gadoon road also needs an immediate repair to prevent it from further dilapidation.

It is also difficult to use various link roads in Razaar and Chota Lahor tehsils after the recent rain.

Officials of communication and works department, when contacted, said that they could not repair the broken roads without allocation of funds.

KILLED: A man was killed over old enmity in Chota Lahor tehsil the other day. The deceased was identified as Azam Khan, s resident of Jalsai village.

Meanwhile three women were injured in accident of an auto-rickshaw near Shewa village. The injured women were shifted to a hospital in Kalu Khan.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2024