JAGLOT-Skardu road has become one of most dangerous roads in the world. Several accidents have occurred there in a short period of time this year which has instilled fear among the residents of Baltistan.

The reconstruction of this strategically significant road is in progress, but safety measures are hardly considered. At the same time, the construction process is too slow with the excuse of lack of funds by Frontier Works Organisation. Uncalculated blasting all along the road has shaken the gigantic rocks, which has made this road vulnerable.

In the recent coach accident 25 people, including women and children, lost their lives. This accident devastated a number of families as a PhD scholar and a renowned mountain climber lost their lives.

Now the government must ponder on saving lives of poverty-stricken travellers who cannot afford to travel by air.

When the Nawaz Sharif government approved this mega project several tunnels were part of the project and the meandering and zigzag road was to be straightened. But the PTI government cancelled the tunnels and the width of the mettled road which is unfair.

Consequently, not only do accidents take lives of the people, but also of our soldiers who are a symbol of our honour and dignity.

The government should issue fitness certificates to the transport companies to avoid future accidents. Specially, drivers’ fitness must be checked because many accidents occurred owing to drivers who were drug addicts and careless.

Ghulam Muhammad Balti
Skardu

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THE 167 kilometres long Gilgit-Skardu Road running along Indus river is one of the most dangerous mountain thoroughfares located in Gilgit-Baltistan.

At present, the Frontier Works Organisation is working on improving the road. Meanwhile, the local population is facing many problems owing to the poor conditions and poor maintenance of this road. In the last six months, more than 80 people have lost their lives in different accidents.

The main reason for accidents is the dilapidated conditions of the road at many spots, the poor enforcement of safety standards and poor infrastructure, particularly on battered mountain roads.

The public transport operators running their vehicles in the area are also partially to blame for using vehicles that have seen better days.

The Gilgit-Baltistan authorities need to pull up the transport operators and ensure they strictly adhere to traffic safety regulations.

Yahya Shareef
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2020