SHANGLA/UPPER DIR: Major roads in Shangla were re-opened to traffic on Thursday after the district administration personnel and army soldier removed snow from it.

The development comes as the weather clears after four days snowfall and rain.

However, electric supply to the area remained suspended in the area.

Local deputy commissioner Abdul Kabir Khan and district nazim Niaz Ahmad Khan supervised removal of snow from Swat-Bisham and Alpuri-Yakhtangy roads.

He said roads had been opened to light traffic only as their use by heavy transport vehicles during heavy snowfall could cause mishaps. The nazim said the electric supply to the area was likely to be restored today (Friday).

Meanwhile, the Met Office forecast more snowfall in Shangla until Sunday.

In Upper Dir, the army personnel on Thursday removed snow from the Lowari Top Road for its reopening. Many links roads in remote Kohistan valley, Doog Dara, upper parts of Brawal tehsil and other localities continued to be closed.

Also, many areas continued to be without electric supply. The Lowari Top received from six to seven feet snowfall and Lowari tunnel from three to four feet.

The Met Office said Dir city received from one to two inches of snowfall and 85 millimeters rain during the last three days dropping the temperature to minus two degree centigrade.

The tehsil government provided four tractors to the army’s engineering unit for the clearing of the Lowari Top Road from snow.

Operational commander of the Pakistan Army for Upper Dir Brigadier Aamir Yaseen and tehsil nazim Mir Makhzanuddin visited the Lowari Tunnel and checked the snow removal operation.

Tehsil nazim Mir Makhzanuddin said efforts were being made for the early reopening of the Lowari Top Road to traffic.

Meanwhile, dozens of vehicles remained stranded in Dir for many days due to the closure of Lowari Top Road. However, they’re later allowed to use the Lowari Tunnel, which is under construction. Many links roads in remote Kohistan valley, upper parts of Brawal tehsil, Doog Dara, Ganshal and other areas continued to be closed to traffic restricting the people to their homes.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2017