SWABI: The parking of trailers on a lane of the Tarbela-Topi road while waiting for entry into the Tarbela Dam is causing frequent traffic jams on the road to the discomfort of commuters.

The trailers bring different materials for the under-construction Fourth Extension Project of the dam, but as the security clearance of these trailers always takes time, vehicular traffic starts to accumulate on the road.

The drivers told Dawn that they could not park the loaded vehicles on the rough terrain along the road due to their huge weight. “We bring tonnes of materials for the dam’s project from Karachi and have to park the vehicles on the road while the security clearance process is carried out,” Tauqir Asif, driver of a trailer, said.

However, people demanded that the security of heavy vehicles should not take much time as it caused frequent traffic congestions.

They said the trailers also caused road accidents. It is to mention here that Aseem Khan, a security inspector at Tarbela Dam, was recently killed when his motorcycle hit by a stationary trailer.

However, officials in the Chinese Sinohydro Company told Dawn that security clearance of heavy vehicles bringing construction material also took time. Moreover, they said if there was no space inside the dam they could not allow a trailer to enter the premises.

THREE INJURED IN CYLINDER BLAST: Two women and a child were critically injured in a cylinder blast in Adina village of Razaar tehsil on Sunday, said police.

The incident occurred early in the morning when the women started preparing breakfast.

Anwar Sher, head of the family, said the cause of the blast was gas leak. He said as his wife lighted the match, fire engulfed the kitchen. He said after some time the cylinder burst, injuring two women and a child.

The injured were taken to district headquarters hospital, Mardan. However, after getting first aid, the doctors referred them to Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, due to their serious condition.

The injured were identified as Nureen Begum, wife of Anwar Sher, his sister Saba Gul, and two-year-old son, Zulqarnain Khan.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2016