MANSEHRA: The Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) on Friday constituted a technical team to estimate the damage to houses and hotels caused by snow avalanches in Naran, the commercial hub of Kaghan Valley.

“We have constituted a committee, which also includes officials of the Balakot tehsil municipal administration, to estimate the damage to hotels and houses along the Saiful Muluk Lake Road in the tourist resort of Naran,” Shabbir Khan, KDA Director General, told reporters.

He said around a dozen hotels were either partially damaged or buried under heavy mass of snow when avalanches rolled down from the nearby mountains, blocking the road that links Saiful Muluk Lake with Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road.

The incident, which occurred a few days ago, came to the limelight when local residents ventured into Naran and made video clips of the area, he added.

CM’s aide directs early clearance of snow, glaciers from MNJ Road

The Kaghan Valley, from Naran to Babusar Top, remains inaccessible the entire winter season from November to April every year due to heavy snowfall.

“This is not an issue to be panicked about as no loss of life is reported. Glaciers rolled down because of change in weather and made their way to an area, which has not witnessed such an activity during the last almost three decades,” Mr Khan said.

The KDA DG said Naran residents migrated to lower parts of Hazara division during winter, adding no commercial activity took place in the area during the period.

“Till glaciers and snow, which is still four to five feet even in urban parts of Naran, are not removed,the technical team constituted by us won’t be able to estimate the damage,” Mr Khan said.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by KDA said that an operation to clear the area would be launched following the Eidul Fitr.

It added that the snow avalanches had only hit the Saiful Muluk Lake Road and the rest of Kaghan valley was safe. “However, people should avoid venturing into upper parts of Kaghan valley until Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road is cleared to traffic after removing glaciers from it,” the release said.

It further said that such incidents frequently happened in upper parts of Kaghan valley in winter.

Some four years ago, the National Highway Authority had planned to keep the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road, which links Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with neighbouring Gilgit-Baltistan, open throughout the year some, and some international experts had also visited the valley for a survey, but the initiative was later scrapped by the federal government owing to its unbearable cost.

The hoteliers have expressed their optimism that the MNJ Road would be cleared of snow and ‘mega’ glaciers before the start of the tourism season in the valley.

Meanwhile, adviser to the chief minister for culture and tourism Zahid Chanzeb on Friday directed the district administration and KDA to initiate an immediate clearance operation in the tourist resort of Naran.

“I have apprised the chief minister of the situation following avalanches struck hotels and houses,” he told reporters.

He said Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also directed him to ensure early clearance of MNJ Road.

“I have also talked to the KDA director general and directed him to ensure early operation to clear the Saiful Muluk Lake Road,” Mr Chanzeb said.

He said DG KDA told him that his team had reached Naran on foot where the Chapran and Gamlan glaciers rolled down on the hotels located on the Lake Road.

“As the valley is without mobile networks and electricity the incident couldn’t be reported timely,” Mr Chanzeb said.

He said the Mansehra deputy commissioner was also directed to ensure clearance of the MNJ Road till Naran without delay.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2024