NHA Restores Access to Kaghan, Babusar, and Chilas
On the special directives of Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, the National Highway Authority (NHA) has successfully reopened major routes including Kaghan, Naran, Babusar Top and Chilas by clearing landslides that had blocked access.
As per details, the 242-kilometer-long N-15 route from Mansehra to Jalkhand is now fully travel-worthy, while the Jaglot–Skardu road had already been cleared earlier this week. Moreover, it has been told to the Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan that all affected routes are now open for public and tourist traffic.
Under the supervision of Federal Secretary Communications Ali Sher Mehsud and NHA Chairman Shehryar Sultan an intensive clearance operation was conducted round-the-clock. In the first phase, landslides were removed from 20 major locations using heavy machinery and dedicated workforce.
Temporary roads, bridges, and essential linkages were swiftly restored to ensure continuity of travel and transport, in the affected areas. Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan was kept updated through daily briefings while a final report confirming full restoration of all routes was submitted on Monday afternoon.
Talking in this regard, Federal Secretary Communications Ali Sher Mehsud stated that with the grace of Allah Almighty and commendable teamwork, a large-scale operation was successfully executed.
The roads had suffered significant damage due to cloudbursts and heavy rains, he added. Massive boulders, broken bridges and widespread mudslides posed serious challenges which were taken into task, accordingly.
However, under the directions of the Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, field teams worked tirelessly around the clock and by Sunday, over 90% of the road network was restored with the remaining task completed by Monday, Ali Shair Mehsud concluded.
Chairman NHA Shehryar Sultan also suspended field officers’ leaves to ensure continuous presence in the field and has directed the preparation of an Emergency Response Plan for future crises to ensure timely and effective action, as well.
A comprehensive final report has been submitted to the Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, confirming that all major roadways affected by recent incidents are now fully operational and functional for regular traffic.
